


Changeling Troubles

by Gwenore



Series: Changeling series [2]
Category: Trollhunters (Cartoon)
Genre: Changeling Jim, Changelings, F/M, Stricklake - Freeform, knife family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-01
Updated: 2018-11-23
Packaged: 2019-03-25 19:11:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 24,828
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13841181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gwenore/pseuds/Gwenore
Summary: Barbara knows her friend and crush from college Walter Strickler is a changeling, trouble comes when she figures out he is not the only changeling she has met in her life. Jim is trying to balance his teenage life and being the trollhunter when he experiences certain… changes, which makes his life a whole lot more troublesome.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This part follows what happens in College Days. Different parts of the same story.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Image by Dekujin.

It had been a couple of weeks since Barbara had met up with her old friend from college, Walter Strickler, and learned about his secret.

It was not often brought up between them… he had never shown his true shape to her again… but she had asked questions… as they would walk together in the park she would word her questions so that it would seem like a normal conversation. He appreciated that.

However… his answers had caused her to think…

Strickler’s explanations about how he lived his life… how he avoided being found out… or at least when jello-shots were not involved… seemed… familiar.

The attempt of seeming as normal as he could… nothing exciting that would draw attention to him, trying to seem as boring that no one could imagine they were ever suspect it was anything remotely odd about him. It would also be good to move every couple of years… especially as changelings did not quite age like humans do… not after they were grown.

This reminded her off…

Barbara had tried to fight this thought for a long time… could that explain why ‘he’ left? Why she had never heard from him? Why she had never been able to find a single trace of him?

It had been strange that he did not have any family… no old friends… or anything. But… this didn’t mean that he was a…? Right?

Was it even possible since they had…?

All these thoughts had became louder and louder in Barbara’s mind. She needed answers, needed to know it was possible.

Picking up her phone, she hid away in a corner of the hospital and texted her friend, asking if they could meet up at the café a block away from her work after her shift. Her heart was racing until five minutes later she felt her phone vibrate.

Opening Walter’s text she let out a sigh, happy that he had accepted. Hopefully he could still her worries. Deciding to push her thoughts to the back of her mind so she could finish her shift.

 

Strickler had already been at the café for ten minutes as he saw the doctor run up to the table. The sun had just about started to set, but it was still warm enough to sit outside.

“Ah, Barbara,” he smiled upon seeing her. Once again his heart had started to skip a beat… which still ached slightly… but it was a feeling that he had come to delight in.

“Walt… you are here,” she said with relief.

“But of course… I said I would, did I not?” he mused as she sat down across from him. There was not many around, it was close to the café’s closing hours and most in the little town of Arcadia was sitting down to dinner.

“Yes… yes… I suppose you did,” Barbara nodded as she pushed her glasses a bit further up on her nose.

“So… I must ask… why did you want to meet? Not that I mind, of course,” he questioned as he drank from his cup, normally their meetings were well planned to fit around the doctor’s busy schedule.

“Can a human and a changeling have a baby?”

The changeling instantly got the tea stuck in his throat, almost feeling it spurt out his nose as he coughed. What ever he had imagined her to talk about… it wasn’t this.

“I am sorry… just, is it possible?” she fiddled her fingers. Strickler’s face was flushed with a deep red color at this point as he tried to suppress further coughing.

“Um… well yes. They can. It is deeply frowned upon… then again there isn’t much a changeling does that isn’t frowned upon…” he had to add.

“Is there a way to… tell if someone is the son of a changeling? I mean… would you know if you saw one?” Barbara leaned forward staring into his green eyes. Strickler furrowed his brow slightly.

“Barbara… what is this about?” he then asked. Barbara sighed.

“Just… when you talked about your life… what you do to keep your secret, it reminded me of… Jim’s dad. There was always something… off about him… and Jim… he has been acting really strange lately, much more secretive and… I know there is something he doesn’t tell me,” she looked down. Strickler sighed softly as he reached out his hand, taking hers gently.

“Barbara… he is a teenage boy. Odd behaviors does not mean that he is half changeling. He is simply growing up,” he attempted to assure her. Barbara sighed.

“I know… I know…” she muttered softly. “But… is it possible?”

Strickler leaned back slightly as he thought for a while.

“I assume it is possible. But… it is very unlikely,” he assured her. “Just the fact that you know one changeling does not mean everyone is a changeling.”

Barbara sighed, before nodding.

“I know… just… these thoughts won’t leave me be, I have tried to tell myself I am being silly, but…” her voice faded out once again.

“Well… for a changeling you just need a gaggle-track,” Strickler muttered mostly to himself as he thought.

“A… gaggle-tack?” Barbara had to ask.

“A iron horseshoe… if a changeling is touched by a gaggle-tack they are forced to change their shape… a reason why most changelings would never be found at the track…” he chuckled softly. “But… this is not enough to expose someone who is half changeling. They are immune to such tactics. Truth is that I have never come across a half-changeling before. Mostly because a changeling would never admit to having a child, such a thing would be dangerous.”

“Dangerous?!” Barbara exclaimed, trying to keep her calm.

“There was a reason that I ran away when I lost control over my form. Many wish changelings dead,” he explained.

“But is there a way to be sure? Do you think he… knows if he is?” Barbara asked. “I need to be certain. I need to know if I am going to protect him!”

Strickler nodded his head. He doubted it greatly, but… of course changelings did have a good chance of suddenly go… missing. Scandals like having a child… it would certainly be good enough reason.

“I understand Barbara… I really do… I know you will do everything for your son,” he took her hand in his. “Look… I will talk to some people… ask around. Really discrete of course. But until then… do not speak of this to anyone, especially not Jim.”

Barbara took her hands over his as she kissed the top of his fingers.

“Thank you Walt. I know I am being silly… but…” her voice faded out again as he nodded his head.

“I understand Barbara,” Strickler nodded his head. “If Jim’s father was indeed a changeling… Jim does need to  know, it is really the only way that he can protect himself… and so can we.”

“Oh, Walt… I am so happy I have you as a friend,” Barbara exclaimed. The changeling’s eyes softened slightly. It was… nice… being needed and depended on like this. Slowly he nodded his head.

“I am too…” he whispered softly.

 

After her talk with Walt Barbara was feeling a lot better… it was a load off her shoulders to know that she was not alone in this… and it if turned out that her son indeed was half-changeling, she was more than happy to have Walter there. That way he could teach her son what she could not.

Again… it was nice not to be alone about all of this… her mind had even started to think about how… she wouldn’t mind if he was around more…

Jim already seemed to like him and Walt did seem to like her son. Never had anyone taken such an interest in him… not to mention in her.

She felt special around him. It was not something that Barbara was used to feeling… but it was really… nice.

“Hey, kiddo you home?” she asked, it was really late, but the house was empty. She sighed softly as she wandered into the dining room to find a stack of school books on the table. Well… at least he was seemingly doing his homework…

Slowly she moved to put them in a neat stack when she spotted something… a book in thick ornate leather which looked nothing like a textbook. With a slight tremble to her hand she opened it and started to leaf through some of the pages.

Her heart suddenly skipped a beat. This book… it was filled with all sort of symbols and signs that she had never seen before. But the drawings… drawings of strange creatures… could these be… trolls?

There was one page marked, one showing the drawing of one of the troll creatures… if that was what they were… and a figure clearly human.

Barbara quickly grabbed for her purse where she took out her phone and called, her heart racing all the while.

“Please pick up Walt… please answer,” she whispered into the phone. She let out a sigh when she heard the click of the phone answering.

“Barbara…” she heard his voice, which soothed her panic somewhat.

“Walt! Could you please come to my house? Right now? I found something,” she did not even need to tell him what as she could hear him already getting ready.

“Be there as soon as I can,” he assured her as she heard him terminate the conversation. Barbara looked at the book on the table, clutching her phone as she waited.

 

The moment she heard the car stop at her driveway Barbara was already at her feet and opened the door as she watched the tall man step out. Even then Strickler could see that his friend was scared and it made his stone heart ache.

He practically ran over to her and she grabbed him by his arm before more or less dragged him inside. She made certain that the door was closed as she turned to him.

“Barbara, what did you find,” the changeling had to admit he was rather curious.

“A book,” she said as she took his hand as she pulled him towards her kitchen.

“A book?” Strickler questioned his brows furrowed as she sat him down on the couch. What sort of book could this be?

He did not have to wait long as Barbara ran over to him with a book in her hands. Strickler brows furrowed slightly as he looked across it. Barbara watched how his face grew more and more astonished as his green eyes moved across the pages.

“I don’t understand the symbols…” she started when the silence got too much for her.

“But I do… it is trollspeak,” he explained to her.

“Trollspeak?” she questioned, him nodding slowly.

“The language of trolls…” he muttered softly as he nodded.

“But if he can read that… doesn’t that mean?” she asked.

“Well… humans can learn troll, but… it is looking more likely…” Strickler had to admit this. Barbara then took the book from his hand and found the marked page.

“This seemed to be what he was reading about,” she then said, looking at his reaction.

“About changelings…” he confirmed what she already knew. Slowly she nodded.

“What does it say?” she looked at him.

“The normal… impure creatures, not to be trusted, cowardly and without any honor,” he shrugged, he had heard that enough during this time. He still did not tell her why changelings were able to take their human form… where they came from. Though… that was also written. Barbara gasped.

“But if he thinks he is half one and reads this! I mean… he must think he is a monster!” she clung to his arm. Strickler hushed her softly, putting the book down as he brought his arms around her.

“Look… we will…” Strickler’s eyes fell on the book again, which in being put down had flipped a side. Barbara looked up, the sudden silence breaking her panic as she watched him read.

“What is it…?” she shivered.

“It is about the children of changeling fathers. _Beware the child of the impure, as devious as their sire, yet blend even more into the world of the surface. No gaggle-tack nor spell known to trollkin can force them from hiding. They can only be spotted through the eyes of a changeling and only they can make them show what foul blood flow in their veins,_ ” he read out loud.

“Do… do you believe this is true? That you as a changeling can find out… if… if he is? For certain?” she asked, her blue eyes glued on the book.

“Hm… well… it is true that they can’t be revealed by a gaggle-tack… and… well there are things like changeling locks which can only be opened by the hand of a changeling so… I guess it is not impossible…” he muttered.

“Through the eyes of a changeling…” Barbara muttered, before she looked at him. “Um… the glow you can do with your eyes at times…”

“Hm…? Well… it is something which changelings can use to identify themselves to others most certainly… could certainly be something too…”

Before the changeling was able to finish his sentence the front door opened and the teens voice filled the house.

“Hi, mom… you would not believe what happened to me on the way home from… Mr. Strickler… what are you doing here?”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barbara and Strickler tries to plan what they are going to do. Jim start to believe they are hiding something for him.

The two adults sat frozen on the couch as the teen had walked in so unexpectedly, as while the changeling had learned in all his years to always have a plan for everything… he really had not planned for this.

“Well, your mother invited me over to…” he began.

“We were just catching up a bit. Old college days you know,” Barbara proved a bit quicker on the draw than her changeling friend.

“Indeed. Not to mention that was a long time ago… at least for youngsters such as yourself… and a lot has happened in that time…” Strickler was quick to follow up.

Jim looked at the two adults, not believing them for a single second. They were sitting way to close for simple conversation between friends. It was almost as if his teachers arms had been around his mother only moments before…

Which… come to think of it, Mr. Strickler had told him that they did not use to date… but the words he used was _“We did not get that far…”_

Did they mean that they wanted to? But things got in the way? And now that they had found that they were living in the same town…

These shocking thoughts was enough for the young trollhunter that he did not notice that one of the books that Blinky had given him was deftly hidden by Strickler, putting it behind his back as he continued to look at him.

“So, where have you been?” Barbara attempted to shift the conversation.

“Um… just hanging out with Toby,” the teenager was quick to say. In truth it wasn’t much of a lie as he had indeed been with Toby… finding out that his dentist’s assistant was a changeling and defeating her together with Blinky and Aaarrrgghh, but… that wasn’t lie…  technically.

“Well… as it is a school night… I suppose that I should take my leave,” he said as he stood up keeping the book behind him. Barbara stood up as well, nodding her head.

“I suppose that is a good idea… allow me to follow you to the door,” she said as they moved quickly past the stunned teen, who’s brain was still trying to comprehend something it really did not want to comprehend, so all he could do was to stand there.

In the hallway the two of them looked towards each other.

“So… what should we do next…?” Barbara whispered. Strickler glanced over her shoulder, seeing Jim standing there.

“I do not know…” he murmured. “To expose myself… it is a worry I do confess… but it seems rather… likely that his father was certainly like me… and it seems he knows… but he may not know fully.”

Barbara nodded, glancing over her shoulder.

“I just… I just need to know he is safe,” she whispered. Strickler nodded.

“I know. Me too. I will talk to him tomorrow a bit… just to see what he knows. Then… I am not sure,” he murmured.

“Um… how about you come over for dinner this weekend… that way we can all… talk?” she asked. “I am sure… there is a lot of questions he might have…”

Strickler gave a slight nod, then remembered the book he was holding, looking down at it.

“I will… read through it… perhaps it can give us some answers… I do wonder how he got it… where he would find such a thing…” Strickler muttered more to himself rather than her. Barbara swallowed nervously.

“I don’t know…” she whispered.

“I will try to figure out… if he is in contact with someone… someone not human. If this is the case we need to figure out who. I do not wish to scare you, but… I doubt they would have good intentions…” he told her. “I have been worried about him.”

Barbara felt his heart ache slightly feeling scared… but more than anything she was happy that she was not alone. Had it not been for him… she wouldn’t even have a clue.

Slowly she reached out and rested on his shoulder.

“Thank you Walt… I owe you so much…” she murmured. He gave her a gentle smile as he rested his finger under her chin and lifted her chin slightly.

“Just… try to rest,” he attempted to assure her. “We will figure this out together, I promise.”

The changeling had not expected the woman to put her arms around him, her fingers moving through his hair as she held him close. He froze for but a second before he allowed his arms to wrap around her.

It was only the sound of Jim finally getting his brain back online and move towards the stairs that caused the two of them to let go of each other.

“I will call you tomorrow,” Barbara said quickly. Strickler nodded as he glanced at the teenager practically glaring at him behind his mother.

“Yes… and I will see you at school young Atlas. Make sure you get some sleep, I am certain your bed is more comfortable than the desks in my classroom,” he mused as he turned around and walked to his car with Barbara closing the door behind him.

“Mom… are you dating my teacher?” Jim could not hide the fear on his face. Barbara put her hands behind her back.

“Um… oh that! No… nothing like that. We are just old friends,” she was quick to say.

“You seem very… close,” Jim was certain his mom was hiding something… yet perhaps he did not want to know the truth. Being the trollhunter with everything out to kill him… not to mention high school being… high school, his mom dating one of his teachers would make both things far more complicated.

“Well… it has been nice… having someone to talk with, to tell you the truth… Jim… one thing. If there is something you are… hiding for me… something that you are scared that I am going to find out… know that no matter what it is… I will always love you. You know that right?” she needed to tell him that.

Jim’s face softened slightly, feeling his heart ache as he knew that he could not tell his mom that he was the trollhunter… about everything that was going on.

That he very well might not be able to get home one day…

“I know mom…” he said softly, smiling towards her. “And I love you too.”

Mom and son shared a hug in the hallway, Barbara brushing her boy’s hair gently as she held him. She wanted to protect him, keep him safe. Still she was not certain if her son was half-changeling or not… but… it really did not change anything.

Jim then broke out of her hug as she looked up at her.

“But you are certain you and Mr. Strickler aren’t dating?” he had to ask her once again.

“I am… not yet anyway,” she smiled as she walked up the stairs, Jim standing there as if he had been turned to stone.

 

“Warhammer! Come in! Crisis of major implications!” Jim hissed into the walkie talkie. A soft hiss came from the machinery as a click came on.

“What is up, Jimbo? Don’t tell me there is another troll thing out to kill us… I am already in my PJs…” he heard his friend respond.

“No! This is far worse!” he fell down on his bed.

“Worse? What is worse than being killed and eaten by trolls?” Jim heard his best friend’s voice filled with uncertainty.

“I BELIEVE MOM IS DATING MR. STRICKLER!” Jim exclaimed loudly into the device. A long silence followed.

“Wait… Dr. L and Mr. Strickler…?” Toby’s voice hesitated nervously.

“He was over at my house again today, and when I walked in him and my mom was way to close for just being _‘friends’_! Like they were practically in each other’s arms!” Jim was running his hand through her hair.

“Dude… that is… dude… are you certain? Did you ask your mom?” his friend asked nervously.

“I did, she said they weren’t… yet!” Jim squirmed as he laid his arm over his eyes with a loud groan. “Yet Tobes! That was the word she used! My mom wants to date my teacher!”

“You think Mr. Strickler is… interested in your mom?” Toby asked. Jim groaned softly before he hit the walkie talkie against his head.

“He was practically holding around her Tobes! Don’t I have enough happening in my life?!” Jim groaned loudly.

“My dude… something is out to get you. If your mom is dating your teacher your life is over in high school. Steve is never going to let you live that one down!” Toby laughed before silence indicated as he was thinking.

“Going to be a lot harder you doing trollhunter stuff if Mr. Strickler moves in with you…”

“What?!” Jim sat up as he stared into the device.

“Just saying Jimbo. Old Mr. S don’t work as much as your mom does and though there is the rumor that he lives at his office that may change if… well… he really starts dating your mom.”

“It is not going to get to that Tobes!” Jim fell down at the bed again.

“Are you sure?”

Jim did not reply, simply laid down and stared at the ceiling.

“So… what are you going to do?” Toby asked after a long pause.

“I don’t know. I don’t know if I should do anything. As insane as this all is… mom has seemed happier than she has in a long time after she met up with Mr. Strickler again… she hasn’t been with anyone since… well… you know. And… if I... you know… at least she has someone,” Jim’s voice was low. He didn’t want to think like that, but… he knew that it could happen. It was in fact even likely. Bular was far more than the teenager could take.

He was certain that the only reason that he and his mom was alive was that Bular nor anyone else outside of Toby and the trolls in trollmarket knew that the new trollhunter was human. He was not certain how long the ruse would last. The helmet helped him hide, but… he knew it was just a question of time.

Already Bular had taunted him that he was small for a troll and reeked of flesh. Yet even then it did not seem like the troll was able to believe that a human trollhunter was possible. It was a temporary means of protection.

Then there was everything else that wanted him dead. Hell even the trolls in trollmarket seemed to be out for his head most of the time.

“It is not going to come to that,” Toby’s voice was lower and more serious than usual. Jim sighed, running his hand through his hair.

“You know that it might…” he then said. There was silence for some time from the walkie talkie.

“Well… if your mom does end up dating Strickler… at least he is like the best option among our teachers,” Toby attempted to cheer his friend up, causing Jim to chuckle. “And he already likes you, he saved your butt when you ate all those jello-shots and came to school hung over.”

“I guess… and that was mostly his fault!” Jim had to remind his friend.

“Sure it was. But I am heading to bed, if we are late senior Uhl is going to end us! At least you can go have Mr. Strickler save your ass, but I am not that lucky!”

Jim laughed softly. Strange how his friend always was able to make him feel so much better.

“Sure Tobes, I will see you tomorrow,” he nodded his head.

“Will you make breakfast?” His friends eager tone made Jim laugh again.

“Sure, I’ll figure something out,” he assured him before they said goodbye. Jim stayed up for some time, just staring at the ceiling, thinking about everything and nothing at the same.

 

“Young Atlas, may I have a word with you?”

Strickler looked over at the young teenager as the rest of them was rushing out of his class room.

“Uh… sure, Mr. Strickler…” Jim said as he looked towards Toby who practically ran out of the room leaving him with the tall history teacher.

“So… what do you want to talk to me about?” Jim swallowed as the teacher sat himself on one of the desks.

“I have…” Strickler’s voice faded. In the teen’s shoulder bag, laying against one of the books was the… no it couldn’t be.

But the faint blue glow… the symbols… what he could make out from the angle… this was the amulet of Merlin. The amulet of the trollhunter.

But why would Jim have something like that, only the trollhunter would…

Then everything fell in place for the changeling. Why Jim had that book… why Bular described the trollhunter as reeking of human flesh… why Jim had been acting so strange lately…

“Mr. Strickler…?” Jim asked, wondering why the teacher looked like he had cold water poured over him.

“Well… your mom has invited me over for dinner this weekend. I do hope that won’t make things… awkward,” the changeling finally got the use of his words back.

“Awkward?! No, why would it be awkward?” Jim stuttered quickly. Strickler stood up then, fiddling with his pen slightly.

“Splendid… then I will be seeing you this weekend,” he said as he turned around and quickly exited the classroom, leaving Jim to run to catch up with his friend for his next class, unaware of what his teacher had seen.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Strickler comes up with a plan to use the information he has to his advantage.

Strickler sat in the hidden room of his office, sitting absolutely still, allowing his eyes to glow softly in the dark room. He felt relaxed in this place… it allowed him to hide. Not to be on guard as he ever had to be. Only by a changeling hand could this room be open and even then the key was needed. The key hidden in the pen he was twirling between his fingers right now.

It was the one place that he was allowed to sit and think.

And the changeling had a lot to think about.

He really did not know how to proceed with this. A human trollhunter… well… perhaps not fully human… but that was an entirely other matter.

Slowly he ran his fingers through his hair. He needed to plot his next course of action carefully. Bular did not know. The stone brained fool had not figured out that the trollhunter smelled like human flesh because he was indeed human.

He thought about killing the boy… to kill a trollhunter and deliver the amulet as a price would surely owe him some sort of reward. And to humiliate Bular in front of his father… that would be amusing.

But…

There was two blue eyes which haunted his mind each time he even considered that.

Barbara… she would never forgive him.

He thought to himself that shouldn’t matter… she was human, hell she hardly mattered in the long run. In fact it was not as if he had known her long… even with a human lifespan taken into account…

Still…

His stone heart seemed intent on shattering even thinking about that. Besides… Strickler had started to have… doubts.

Silent… unspoken doubts.

Would Gunmar truly allow changelings have a place in the new world? They were created by Gunmar… but..

Strickler had started to doubt those promises.

He started to believe… the moment the war would won, Gunmar would turn to acts of genocide. Strickler had seen it enough in humans. And if these week creatures of flesh would turn on themselves for imagined slight… would Gunmar allow changelings… beings that he himself referred to as impure… to live?

Strickler knew this was… foolish belief.

In fact it wasn’t even doubt anymore. It was… insane to think that changelings would get some sort of respect in Gunmar’s new world. He hardly believed that they were allowed to live. Not for long at least.

But… he was in too far. If he attempted to run now… or if it was even suspected that he held such doubts, Bular would gladly tear him apart.

Strickler paused the twirling of his pen.

But… with a human trollhunter. More importantly… a human he knew. A noble boy… a foolish one… but clearly noble…

Naïve.

Surely he had been taught about changelings… but it was not… impossible to turn this into his advantage.

Strickler did not believe the boy capable of murder… not unless it was the last resort. Backed up against the wall maybe, but… otherwise… no. At least not now.

Barbara…

Perhaps his mishap all those years ago was more fortuitous than he thought. She knew he was a changeling. Saw him as a good man… as strange as that was to believe.

She did not know Jim was the trollhunter. She couldn’t know.

That could be his greatest advantage.

He held all the cards. He had all the knowledge… and he knew he had to start to play his hand.

Picking up the phone he swallowed a couple of times, attempting to sound out of breath as he pressed her number and waited for her to pick up.

“Walt…?” he heard her rather nervous voice.

“Barbara!” he exclaimed, making sure his breathing was heard through the phone. “I am sorry to call you at work… but I… I need to tell you something… something…”

He stopped and he could hear her fret on the other side of the line.

“I had a warning today. From… my people. I need to talk to you. As soon as possible,” his voice was insistent.

Barbara felt her heart drop. She knew her friend would not call her for trivialities when she was at work and… with everything that was going on…

“The café by the hospital,” she said with a firm voice. “Can you get there now? I can take my break soon.”

She heard him let out a relieved sigh.

“Yes… I will be there as soon as I can,” he said sounding relieved even if he sounded still nervous over the phone.

“See you soon Walt,” she said, trying to keep her hands steady.

“See you soon Barbara,” he spoke softly as he dismissed the call as a smile came upon the changeling’s face. Oh yes… this could certainly be in his favor.

 

Barbara was sitting at the table, having already ordered the tea and was looking around nervously. Just then she saw the tall man came rushing over to her, sitting down, clutching something in his hand.

“Walt… what has happened?” she asked nervously. He swallowed nervously, having to catch his breath slightly as he glanced around himself before he leaned over the table.

“The trollhunter is in Arcadia…” he whispered. Barbara looked confused, but she did not like sound of that… nor the scared look in those green eyes.

“The… the trollhunter?” she said nervously.

“Just as it sounds. He is the champion of the trolls in control and he hunts and kills trolls that doesn’t serve their leader. They live close to something called the heartstone… it doesn’t matter really. Suffice to say that this killer slaughter changelings. If he finds them he kills them,” he whispered to her, Barbara’s eyes widened.

“Walt…” she whispered.

“I am sorry… but I learned this evening that one of the other changelings living here… her name was Gladys Groe… she worked at the dentist office. I cannot say I knew her… not well… I mean I knew off her,” he fell silent as he clutched the thing in his hand, looking down at the table. “He… he killed her.”

Barbara gasped slightly. She had seen the dentist assistant around town. Knew about her… not her name, and certainly not that she was a changeling, but… she did not seem like a threat.

“Is he… coming for you?” she asked with a trembling voice.

“I don’t know… if he finds me most certainly he will… but I don’t think he is searching for me. I know how to hide my tracks… but… with Jim… and you… I worry,” he murmured again clutching what he held in his hand. 

“Jim… do you think Jim is in danger?” Barbara asked her voice now trembling. Strickler shrugged.

“I do not know, he is a half-changeling. It is harder to expose him… but if he is careless… The book… he is in contact with someone. If they know… he may not be safe…” he told her, looking into his hand slightly, making Barbara furrow her brows.

“Is there… is there something that you are telling me?” Barbara said. Strickler swallowed before he opened his hand showing two shimmering stones laying there.

“Rocks…” Barbara pondered.

“Well… a bit more than the ones you find in your driveway. Let us just say… I am older than I look and have travelled a bit… doing that have you pick up certain things. These are among them. Look Barbara… I would never ask you this, but with everything that is going on…” his voice stop, this time a genuine worry fluttering over those green eyes.

Was he really doing this? Would she ever forgive him?

“Walt… what are they?” she wondered as she looked at them in his hand.

“It is a sort of… binding… spell…” he then admitted.

“Biding spell?” Barbara questioned. “Like magic…?”

“In a sense yes. It creates a bond… a strong bond between two people. I… I want to make certain that you are protected…” he then sighed. “Just… I really do not want to loose you.”

His green eyes were cast down, Barbara biting her lips as she looked at them.

“You… you want to do that for me?” she then asked, him casting a glance up at her.

“If you are in danger… if you are in need of help… I am not sure if I can forgive myself if something happened to you or Jim because of this…” he was only barely able to look directly into those blue eyes.

Barbara swallowed and reached out her hand picking up one of the rock, causing Strickler to look at her with a surprised look. He thought about stopping it… but he felt that he could not. If this plan was to go ahead… he could not have the trollhunter turn his sword on him. It was possible after all.

“So… um… do I just hold onto it?” Barbara felt a strange humming sensation coming from it.

“No… uh… we have to drink it,” he explained.

“Drink it?” Barbara questioned, staring at the rock she held between her fingers.

“Yes, just… put it in your tea,” he told her, doing the same with his own. Barbara was still rather surprised, but followed the lead, putting the small rock into the tea where it dissolved at once.

“How is it… how is it going to taste?” she looked into the tea, moving the liquid around slowly, but there was no trace of the rock she had put in there.

“I am not sure… I have never done this before…” Strickler chuckled softly as he picked up the tea. Barbara did the same, looking into the liquid. The two shared another glance before they sipped the tea, before both of them swallowed down the liquid.

Barbara sat there for some time, looking into the cup, her eyes furrowed.

“Barbara… are you alright?” the changeling leaned a bit over the table towards her.

“Yes… just… am I supposed to feel something? Like… is something about to happen?” Barbara questioned, Strickler having to chuckle slightly.

“No… sorry to disappoint you,” Strickler shrugged. Barbara looked a bit surprised, but then chuckled softly.

“Don’t look at me like that! This is all still rather new to me!” Barbara insisted. Strickler smiled towards her.

“You are doing wonderful, Barbara. I assure you, you are doing far better than anyone could expect,” he assured her softly, putting his large hand on hers. Barbara blinked surprised as she lifted her eyes and looking into those kind green eyes.

She then smiled softly to him, moving her hand so that she was holding his. Strickler had to admit it felt… strange. Her hands were so warm compared to his. A feeling was such that he never wanted to let her go. To feel her warmth was something that filled him with desire.

“Are you certain that you are going to be alright Walt? This… this trollhunter, he is not… coming for you is he?” Barbara’s voice was filled with worry, but Strickler could not keep a smile from his lips.

“Oh… I don’t think he will come for me,” he assured her. Barbara smiled, still holding his hand in her own.

“That is good… because… I really do not want you to… you know have to leave again…. I… I really like spending time with you…” she then admitted towards him.

Strickler felt his heart make a slight leap as he felt her fingers gently run across the back of his hand making him smile softly.

“I really like spending time with you too…” he murmured softly back to her.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Strickler has dinner at the Lake residence.

Saturday came and Jim watched his mother wander across the living room, unable to sit herself down for even a minute. He whisked slightly as he leaned against the counter as he observed her. He wondered why his mom was so nervous. Several times he had asked her if her and Strickler was dating and that was what she wanted to tell him with this dinner.

But she had simply shook her head. Sure enough… if she was dating his teacher… Jim wouldn’t be happy certainly. Still… that she would be so nervous and continuously deny it… it really did not add up.

Certainly… it would certainly be a bit odd for her to admit to be dating his history teacher… but… like this?

“Mom… are you alright?” he had to ask once again. Barbara startled slightly as she glanced over at him, having been trying to calm herself, yet she found herself nervous.

“Yes! Of course!” she exclaimed.

“Are you certain…? You look nervous,” the teen furrowed his brows.

“I am fine. I am perfectly fine,” she was quick to say.

“Alright…” Jim walked back to the kitchen, still rather confused. Barbara sighed as she leaned against the wall. She still did not know what was going to happen this evening… how it would go… how Jim would react to all if this…

She wasn’t even sure what would happen. Even if Jim wasn’t a half changeling, Barbara thought that to make certain Strickler had to expose himself… which… would mean that they had some explanation to do. To say the least…

Her blue eyes continued to look out the window, and felt her heart skip when she saw that tan car drive up the driveway and right away she practically ran towards the door opening it as the tall man came walking up the driveway, carrying a bottle of wine.

“Walt…” she smiled, feeling a bit easier when he was there.

“Barbara… I did not know what kind you preferred, so I brought a pinot noir, the heartbreak grape,” he smiled softly towards her as she greeted him on the steps. The doctor gently took the bottle, smiling softly towards him.

“Oh, we don’t judge, all kinds are welcome,” she smiled back though the changeling could clearly hear the worry in her voice.

“Barbara… are you alright?” he asked her, moving closer towards her, putting his hand on her shoulders, resting on her shoulder.

“Just… a bit… nervous…” she whispered softly towards him. He smiled softly towards her as he brought her closer to him. Barbara gratefully leaned against his chest.

“It will be fine… we will figure this out. I don’t know if he is half changeling or not… but we will deal with it when we get to it,” he assured the best he could. He was not a hundred percent sure that Jim indeed had changeling blood in his veins. He had questioned himself if he should reveal himself to the trollhunter.

But if he wanted to use him, he needed to do so.

“So… how should we do this?” she asked nervously.

“If you would not mind… I would like to speak with Jim alone… it… it is hard enough with all is happening, but… it becomes odd… that his mom is there. Just… after dinner, if you could pretend to get a call from the hospital or something similar… I know you want to be there for him, but… I believe this way would be easier,” he told her. He had thought long about it. There was certain things he wanted to talk with the trollhunter about… certain things that he did not want Barbara to hear.

Barbara nodded. She wanted to be there, but… if this was indeed the case then Jim had to be with someone who could understand. And right now that was Walter, not her.

“Yes… that sounds good, but tell me everything after!” she insisted. He nodded his head slowly.

“You will not be far away and I do not believe it will be long. At this time I do almost hope we are correct in our assumptions or class on Monday is going to be very awkward indeed,” the changeling said with an amused tone, causing Barbara to laugh despite the nervousness that was weighing down on her.

“I don’t think that Jim is going to mind that you are… you know. You are still you after all… just greener,” she nudged him slightly. Strickler face softened as he looked at her. This woman… she certainly was… something else.

Something that he was not used to seeing. Oh, how he adored her. It really was no question about it anymore. He had… fallen for this woman. Or so the human said. He had always wondered about why the humans would use such words. In fact most of the talk of love and the choice of words had convinced the changeling that it would be an uncomfortable experience at the very least, likely painful.

But now…

Now he understood.

“Thank you Barbara,” he spoke softly towards her as they slowly made their way towards the door of the Lake residence to sit down to dinner.

 

Jim had to confess that dinner had been strange… but also… nice. They were talking about different things, Strickler and his mom speaking briefly about their time in college, asked him about how school was going and complimented him on how good the meal was.

It was… nice.

It was rare enough that his mom was able to be home for dinner and while Strickler was there too… it was not as if he was imposing in the way he had imagined that he would. Of course his teacher had to share one of his corny stories which he was known for in class, and as his mom laughing, Jim had to roll his eyes slightly, but again it was…

Nice.

He was not still happy that his mom was dating one of his teachers, but… the teenager could not deny that it warmed his heart to see his mom smile like that.

After the meal was done his mother leaned back, her hand on her stomach as she smiled towards him.

“It was absolutely wonderful sweetie, as always,” she smiled towards him.

“Jim, your cooking alone should warrant you an A,” his teacher chimed in as causing the teenager to chuckle.

“I will remind you of that when midterms rolls around,” Jim chuckled nervously as his mom stood up and starting to gather up the plates.

“I will get these in the dishwasher and get started on dessert. I may also have to make a quick call to the hospital… just uh, talk between yourselves,” Barbara told them.

“Go, go,” Strickler assured her. “I will try not to bore Jim to death.”

“Well… I do usually survive your lectures, even if it is barely,” Jim chuckled. He had expected his teacher to bite back with some sort of witty or corny remark, but the moment his mother walked into the kitchen he noticed the body language of his teacher changed, he became tense, instead of his usual relaxed causal state.

Strickler looked over the trollhunter. He had dealt with trollhunters before, but… not like this. The boy really did not have a clue of his true nature. Well… that was about to change.

Just as Jim was about to saw something he froze in absolute shock and disbelief. His teacher’s eyes glowed, his green iris having turned a blood red as that intense yellow light shone from them.

A smile then came upon the changeling’s face. Because… the trollhunter’s eyes reflected the glow of his own. Those blue eyes having turned a fiery orange. He allowed the glow to fade as he leaned back in the chair, picking up the glass of wine, sipping slowly.

Jim was utterly speechless. Strickler… he wasn’t human! How… how was that possible! Sure after the incident at the museum Toby had wondered about who else could hide in evil trollface as he put it. It was a miracle they got out of that one before the cops was called…

Jim remembered that his friend had wondered if Strickler was one. Jim had dismissed it. It wasn’t possible that the history teacher of Arcadia high, a man who had taught history since the dawn of history was a changeling. He had even gone so far as to say that if Strickler was one, he was one…

And now… that glow… it could not mean anything else. But why out himself like that? Did Strickler know?

Already his hand was clutching the amulet in his pocket. Strickler raised his brow slightly at the teen as he slowly put down his wine glass.

“I would not do that if I was you young Atlas,” his voice was even, calm in a manner which frankly unnerved him. It was as if everything had changed in an instance.

“You are a changeling!” Jim said through gritted teeth.

“And you are the trollhunter… we all have secrets… even from ourselves it would seem,” Strickler mused softly as he rested his fingers around the glass. Jim was in too much shock to realize the implications of the last sentence.

“How did you know?!” Jim demanded, keeping his voice low so his mom would not hear. Strickler smiled softly.

“Well… in the future… I would be more careful about where you put your things. You never know who… or what is watching. Not to mention that book. ‘Brief recompilation of troll history vol. 48’ was it? Fascinating read,” the changeling picked up his glass, swirling the liquid slightly. Jim’s eyes widened. The book! He had totally forgotten about the book! Why had he forgotten about the book?

Sure he had looked for it… but he just figured it was in his room or something…

“What is your plan?!” Jim then gritted his teeth.

“Hm… you really do not know do you?” Strickler had to admit he was surprised that Jim had no idea about the blood in his veins.

“Know what?” Jim had no brought out the amulet.

“Oh… are you in for a surprise,” the changeling let out a chuckling laugh. Jim gritted his teeth, hating that mocking tone in the changeling’s voice.

“Tell me! What are you doing here? Why are you close to my mom?!” he demanded.

“I am here as a favor for your mom and… well as you know we are friends from college… though I will confess that I would not mind our relationship to progress to something more,” Strickler thought to himself.

“I will not allow you deceive my mom! You stay away from her!” Jim stood up.

“How would I be deceiving her?” Strickler asked, utterly amused by how the trollhunter really had no idea what was going on.

“You aren’t human!” Jim slammed his hands on the table, still trying to keep his voice down, less his mom would hear him.

“Oh, she is already knows that,” Strickler informed him, making Jim’s face of anger and shock turned into one of utter surprise.

“What…?”

“She is completely aware of what I am. It is actually the reason for this dinner,” the changeling made a slight movement with his hand.

“What?” it was really all the teenager could muster at this time. His mom knew of changelings? And… knowingly invited one over for dinner?

Strickler let out another chuckle softly.

“Well… let us just say, young Atlas… your mother has a type.”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Strickler and Barbara informs Jim of his heritage.

Jim sat there absolutely stunned as he glared towards his teacher.

“What?!” he asked stunned.

“You need it spelled out, trollhunter?” the changeling asked with a grin as he leaned closer. “Your father was a changeling, which makes you…”

“You lie!” Jim said through gritted teeth.

“Oh no. I am telling the truth. The amulet has never chosen a human before… and it did not do it this time either… well not fully at least. Now… while it is rather shocking that old goat and the rest of the trolls in trollmarket have accepted a human trollhunter, I assure you that they will never accept an impure one,” Strickler said as he picked up his wine glass sipping it.

“It does not matter because you lie. You are a changeling… changelings lie! You are simply trying to mess with my mind!” Jim had grabbed his steak knife pointing it at the changeling which simply let out a soft chuckle.

“Well… that is something that is a bit hard to argue against… but… your mother would not lie to you would she? She would surely tell you the truth?” Strickler’s voice was nearly enough to make the teenager leap across the table and plunge the steak knife in his chest. Strickler seemed to notice that as he grabbed his own knife staring down the trollhunter.

“What do you mean?” Jim sneered towards him.

“Barbara, would you come in here?” Strickler raised his voice. It did not take long before Barbara practically came running out from the kitchen.

“Yes?” it was easy to see that the doctor must have been fretting the entire time that she had been out of the room.

“If you would stand behind me and look over my shoulders, perhaps you are able to see it,” he told her, smiling gently towards her, a kind and assuring smile which made it go cold down the spine of Jim.

He could not really do something… not in front of his mom.

Barbara blinked her eyes, but gave a soft nod before she did as he suggested, moving behind him, and resting her hands on his shoulder.

“Just look in Jim’s eyes,” he told her, Barbara nodding to show that she understood and was ready. Jim was suddenly feeling rather nervous, but he sat frozen as he stared down Strickler as once again that telling glow which revealed him as something… inhuman, came upon those eyes which turned blood red and that intense yellow light.

Barbara gasped. Though it was not the glow in Walter’s eyes which surprised her. It was the glow coming from Jim’s.

“Jim! Your eyes are glowing!” she exclaimed loudly.

“What…?” Jim felt his heart drop at his moms reaction.

“Just as I said young Atlas, you have changeling blood running through your veins, and you were correct Barbara in your suspicions,” he rested his hand on hers slightly. Jim sat there gaping. It was not… it was not possible.

Barbara then rushed over as she hugged his head close, stroking his hair gently.

“It is fine, this does not changes anything. You are still you… just… we needed to make sure, because… um…” she glanced towards Strickler who nodded slowly.

“I know it is a lot to take in young Atlas,” Strickler began, but was interrupted as Jim look up at his mom with disbelief in his blue eyes.

“You knew?” he asked stunned.

“No… I did not. I did not know about changelings before I met Walter again,” Barbara said as she sat herself down. Strickler remained silent as he looked at her. It was sort of strange… that this woman did not seem to care that her son had impure blood running through his veins. He did not expect anything else from her. He had learned she was filled with compassion.

But… it was strange to see.

Strickler remained silent as he lowered his head, simply waiting for Barbara to continue her explanation. It would be far easier Barbara to convince the teenager, as he already believed that everything coming out of the changeling’s mouth. Well… a wise choice when dealing with changelings Strickler had to admit.

Though, sometimes Strickler had found that telling the truth was far more effective than telling a lie. It usually was far more damaging than a lie could ever be.

“How? How do you know about changelings? Did he… did he just tell you?” Jim was still in disbelief, glaring slightly at Strickler.

“No honey. Um… when we were in college… he… accidently exposed his other form to me. After that he… left. And I never saw him again until… that parent/teacher conference, you remember?” Barbara explained. “And after… well we got to talking. He told me the truth about what he was… and the more I learned about changelings the more… the more it seemed familiar. Your father, there was always something… off. Things that did not make sense. But… I just thought he had a difficult life and did not want to remember his past. It always bothered me, but… well… I did not know about changelings when I knew your father.”

Barbara stopped for a while as she looked down, Strickler reaching out his hand and gently resting it on hers.

“Learning more about changelings… your mother started to wonder if your father could be one too. More so what it means for you if he indeed was one. Now… I was skeptical at first… what would be the odds that your mother had come across two changelings in such a way, but… it wasn’t impossible. And as it seems… your mother was correct in her suspicions… a lesson to never doubt a mother’s intuition I suppose,” Strickler continued the explanation.

“But…” Jim was absolutely stunned. “This is… this is impossible.”

“Perhaps a picture so you can see what we do, it may help you get to terms with it?” Strickler suggested and Barbara was quick to fish out her phone, making it ready as Strickler once again made his eyes glow as she snapped the picture.

Jim felt his heart pound nervously as his mom handed him the phone. The picture… taken on his mom’s phone by his mom… no way for Strickler to interfere as he could see… his eyes were glowing like a fire… like a… a changeling’s…

He could feel Strickler’s words boring themselves into his mind. Everything he said sounded disturbingly true.

Barbara sat down on the chair next to her son as she rested her hand on his arm.

“I am sure that this must be a lot for you… but… did you know that you… you know?” Barbara was not really sure what she should say. Though parenting certainly did not come with a manual… this was something she could not compare with.

“No…” Jim stared at Strickler wondering what his play was in all of this.

“But what about the book?” Barbara then asked.

“The book?” Jim wondered for a moment.

“The one about… troll in… troll language?” Barbara questioned and Jim felt a mild sense of panic, scratching the back of his neck.

“Um… I just found it! Yes… it looked really odd. Actually meant to bring it to Mr. Strickler to ask about it,” he attempted to explain.

“So… so you are not in contact with anything… non-human?” she then asked, really worried.

“No! Nothing of the sort!” Jim did not know how much his mom knew, but if she found out that he was the trollhunter… then again… once again his eyes fell on Strickler who smiled slightly. “Well… except for Mr. Strickler… I suppose.”

“Walter, please, we are not in school right now after all,” the changeling said softly. He knew that the teenager was lying. But… no need to expose those lies. Not right now at least.

Jim was however surprised when he heard Barbara let out a happy and relieved sigh.

“Mom?” he wondered.

“We… Walter and I… we worried that you may in be contact with someone who… who would tell you that changelings are… bad…” Barbara glanced over at Strickler once again.

“Jim, you must understand that a lot of… creatures do not care for changelings. We are disliked and… hunted. It is why we need to hide and why it is important that you know it… as well… from my research into the subject of children of changelings… will eventually get their troll shape, which… well change is always a challenge,” Strickler had trouble keeping his voice calm with a tinge of concern for the teenager when the look about Jim’s face was of great amusement to the changeling.

“I cannot imagine why…” Jim was trying to keep himself calm, at least in front of his mom. He needed to get Strickler alone… to figure out what was truly going on, even if he had to pull Daylight on him.

“And we were worried because of the trollhunter,” Barbara continued. This nearly turned Jim to stone.

“The… the trollhunter?” he swallowed nervously.

“Yes,” Strickler now had to swallow to contain the glee in his voice. “The trollhunter. A very dangerous creature. Hunts trolls… sort of in the name. It was just a couple of days ago another changeling was felled by his blade.”

Jim was boiling at this point. Strickler had made up these lies about the trollhunter. Or… not lies… lies would be too simple. Lies could be disproven easily. No what the changeling had done was far worse! He had told his mother half truths. How could he tell her the truth… when her mind was filled with this fear… of him.

“But do not worry! He is not going to lay a finger on you! We will make sure of that… just… try not to worry too much. You just worry about school and friends and girls… but… just… be careful… alright?” Barbara sounded worried.

“Yes… sure…” Jim did not really know what to say.

“It is a need for a changeling to keep hidden. Which… is easier for you not being a full changeling, though…” Strickler allowed his voice to fade out slightly.

“Though… what?” Jim asked, not liking the tone of the changeling’s voice. It really did not bode well. Even Barbara cast a look towards him, worry in those blue eyes.

“Walt?” she questioned nervously.

“Well… I was reading in the book that Jim… found and… while most of it is hard to interpret not to mention that it is highly biased material, it does seem like there is some information to be gleamed between them,” Strickler started, taking his time as he pondered every word. It was perhaps a bit cruel, but the changeling always had enjoyed people hanging on his words. It always had great effect towards her.

“Well… it eluded to… changes in times of changes. It was something which puzzled me…” he continued.

“Changes in times of changes…?” Barbara pondered.

“My guess… while changelings can change their shape from the start, it is not so for half-changelings. Something which seems to be true as Jim has never… well… changed,” Strickler tapped his fingers against the stem of his glass. “My guess is that they gain that ability in their teenage years. Which… well at Jim’s age… it is possible that Jim may go through some… changes that his classmates will not.”

Jim furrowed his brows once again. He still did not believe a word that the changeling said. There had to be some sort of trick. Some lie. It was a good rouse, it really was. But… it surely could not be true.

Barbara continued to rest her hand over his arm, feeling how tense he was. She could not imagine what her son was going through. No one really could. He had enough going on with his life. She felt guilty about that, but… there was nothing that they could do.

The conversation stilled after that and Strickler finished his drink.

“I am certain that young Atlas has enough to think about for one night… I should take my leave. But if there is anything I can do… know that you can always reach me on my phone or drop into my office at any time. I know you may not like this, but we need to stick together,” he stood up, putting the chair back. Barbara stood up as well.

“Thank you Walt… I will walk you to the door,” she then said.

Standing then in the door opening she put her hand on his arm gently.

“I mean what I said… I am very grateful to you. Jim is…” she looked down.

“It is a lot for him to take in. I doubt he believes it fully. It is going to take him time. Just treat him like you always do. Despite this… nothing has changed. He is still Jim,” Strickler looked her deep into her eyes.

“You are right, just one quick question before you go,” Barbara asked. “So… Jim has a troll form like you?”

“Yes, he does,” Walter confirmed. Barbara cast a glance over at Jim still sitting at the table.

“Do you… do you know what it looks like?”

The changeling shook his head slowly. “No… trolls comes in a lot of various forms. Changelings are no different. Not knowing what his father looked like it is impossible to know for sure before… well before he changes…”

“And… you know when that might be?” Barbara asked, running her hand over her hair.

“It could be months or years for all we know… or it may be tomorrow, there is really no way to tell,” Strickler shrugged his shoulders. “Sadly I haven’t really had experiences with this, so I have no real answers to give you.”

“Still… I am happy you are here, I really am,” she looked up at him. Strickler once again found himself lost in those kind eyes. It made him for a moment forget all the plans he had laid, only enjoying her presence.

“I am… happy too,” he said softly, a bit surprised when he found that he was not deceiving her. He was telling her the truth.

“I will… I will call you tomorrow?” she then asked. He gave her a smile as he took his hand, kissing it softly.

“Yes… I will see you then,” he said as he allowed her small hand to slip out of his before he turned to walk to his car. Barbara stood in the door opening for a moment, feeling how her heart pounded in her chest.

Unable to make sense of what she was feeling she turned around, but found that Jim was no longer at the table. She sighed softly, but decided he needed space to think.

“This is… really something…” she muttered softly as she walked to clean up to dinner, her mind buzzing with thoughts so loud it was near impossible to make sense of them.

 

Stickler was driving down the empty streets of Arcadia when he heard a rustling from his back seat. His brows rose in slight surprise as the teenager sat himself up. The changeling met the teenagers eyes in the rear-view mirror.

“Young Atlas,” he smiled slightly.

“We are not done talking yet, Strickler,” the teenager sneered as he leaned forwards. The changelings chuckled as he took off towards the outlook point of Arcadia Oaks.

“As you wish.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim and Strickler have a talk and Strickler offers an alliance.

The drive up towards the outlook point was silent though Jim was glaring at his teacher, their eyes meeting a couple of times in the mirror.

Jim’s teeth gritted his teeth together. He was so pissed, a rage he had never really felt before. Never before had he been betrayed like this. Strickler was a man he trusted! Someone he felt he could talk to when he could talk to no one else would listen. It had been strange when he thought was dating his mom… but to find out that he was two faced. Literally! And that he had used his mother like that! Turned her against him and she did not even know!

His hands were clutching the amulet. He wanted to kill this man! Never before had he actually wanted to kill someone. It made him feel sick to his stomach, but he was so filled with rage.

After all… that was always the trouble with betrayal… it never comes from your enemies.

Strickler slowly pulled into the outlook point and put the car in park. He did not even look back as he stepped out before he wandered over, his green eyes gliding over the town of Arcadia. Despite hearing the trollhunter exit the vehicle he did not even look back, not even as he felt the crackle of magic and could see the shimmer of blue light in the corner of his eyes.

“Give me one good reason not to separate your head for your shoulders!” the teenager snarled, for once leaving the helmet off as he stared directly at his teacher. Strickler still did not even turn to look at him.

“Oh… I would not do that… not unless you want to decapitate your mother as well,” the changeling spoke softly.

“What…?” those words ran down the boy’s spine like icy water as he watched the changeling finally turned around.

“Well… young Atlas. When you get to my age… which… I assure you I am older than I look…”

“Hard to believe that is possible,” Jim’s interrupted causing Strickler to raise his brow slightly.

“Well… your mother does not seem to mind,” he then bit back, before he could blink he had the sword of Daylight against his throat.

“Keep speaking like that and I am going to turn you into a PEZ-dispenser,” Jim snarled. Strickler raised his brow slightly.

“Inventive… I got to admit that. But your threats does not work on me. I know what you are capable off, I know what you are not capable off,” he spoke softly.

“You believe I am not able to kill you simply because you are my teacher and my mother’s friend?!” Jim demanded.

“Well… I assumed as much. But… that was not what I was banking on. I know you will not wish to hurt your mother. As I was trying to say… when you reach my age you travel a bit… pick up certain… items…” he grinned, even with the sword which had claimed the lives after so many trolls.

“Where are you going with this?” Jim’s voice held a clear warning.

“Oh well. I found an interesting… enchantment. It binds the fate of two people together. I told your mother that this is meant to help us against the troll hunter. To know if the other is in distress,” he told her.

“Another one of your lies!” Jim snarled.

“No… just another version of  the truth. As it is true. If the trollhunter… or anyone else… harms me… that damage will also happen to your mother. My fate is bound to hers as she is bound to mine,” Strickler said, speaking slowly as to make every word sink in Jim’s face.

“What…?” the word fell out of the trollhunter’s mouth.

“Well… to put it in simple terms… everything you do to me… happens to her,” the changeling grinned. The trollhunter’s face fell.

“You… you did that to her?! Why?!” he growled towards her.

“Among other things… not getting my head chopped of by the sword of Daylight is a rather big reason,” Strickler stepped back, rubbing his throat where the blade had been placed. Jim gritted his teeth.

“What is your plan?” he growled softly.

“Well… a reason for us to be out here… I am suggesting an… alliance. I am sure you have figured out Bular is building the Killahead bridge, to bring Gunmar to the surface world. And I am also sure that you know that changelings work for him,” he continued speaking as he moved towards the outlook point.

“And you aren’t?” Jim huffed.

“Of course I am. It is foolish not to. We unlike your troll friends cannot hide from Bular… and some of us got into service a long time ago. Some gleefully await his return,” Strickler made a hand movement.

“So why are we having this conversation?” Jim said.

“I know that if Gunmar were to escape the Darklands, he will slaughter humans… I have seen what he is capable off and who do you think can stand up to him and his army. You? No… the ones that could left this world long ago and I promise you that was for the better. However, this is not a history lesson. I know that the moment he gets bored… or doesn’t need us anymore changelings will be slaughtered too. Changelings have lead themselves to believe that if we serve him faithfully, we will gain respect,” Strickler stopped as he let out a chuckle. “Can you imagine something so foolish? That those that calls us impure will ever accept us? No… that is an infantile dream.”

Jim swallowed as he looked towards his teacher.

“So what do you suggest?” Jim said as he glared over at him.

“We wait… figure out a way to strike and end Bular. If he dies… then I doubt anyone will be able to bring Gunmar to the surface,” Strickler continued.

“Oh, kill Bular… nothing more, oh why did I not think of that!” Jim hit his head with a laugh before he glared at Strickler.

“I did not say it would be easy young Atlas. If it was do you not think I would be able to do it myself?” Strickler grumbled at the teen’s antics.

“Why are you not going to turn me into Bular the moment I decide to trust you?” Jim asked.

“Never trust a changeling, young Atlas. Do not trust anyone. Trust is a very expensive thing, and it is something that we cannot afford. I know you do not believe, yet the truth is that you are one of us… if only partially, and that is a lesson you have to learn. Those you consider your friends will turn on you when they learn the truth,” Strickler’s green eyes turned towards the city again.

“They won’t,” Jim’s voice was firm.

“Are you certain?”

Strickler’s voice made the teenager stare up at him as their eyes met.

“It does not matter. Even if you tell the truth, which I do not believe, this is just some plot on your part! To trick me, or make me doubt, I don’t know! Anyways, it is not like I chose to have a changeling father if that was indeed what he was. If I am half changeling it was nothing I could control!” Jim insisted. Strickler simply let out a chuckle as he looked down.

“No changeling chose to be a changeling, Jim,” He then said. Jim swallowed. He remembered what Blinky had told him about how the changelings came to be. Troll children… stolen from their parents by Gunmar and then twisted by dark magic so they could take their human form through a familiar.

He looked at Strickler again and there was no words spoken between them for a long while as both of them looked over the town.

Strickler then turned and walked towards his car.

“Strickler…” Jim began.

“Do not worry young Atlas… I won’t tell anyone about your… family relation,” he turned towards him again.

Jim huffed himself up, clutching his hands.

“I am not a half changeling!” he gritted his teeth.

“If you insist…” Strickler shrugged as he sat himself in. “See you at school young Atlas.”

This was his parting words as he drove away. It was only once the car was out of sight that Jim remembered that it was Strickler who had driven him up there and he did not have his bike. It was also a very long way back to his house.

Jim stood there absolutely fuming. He had his phone… with Strickler’s number, but there was no way that he was going to call to ask about a ride back. His pride would not allow it.

“Asshole!” he grumbled as he crossed his arms walking down the path, swearing that he could hear his teacher’s mocking laugh in the distance.

 

It was nearing midnight when the teenager finally got back to his house. Slowly he snuck himself inside and went to his room, closing the door.

Jim felt as if he got no sleep that night, simply laying on his bed even watching how the light in the window started to flow in, signaling a new day. Jim sat himself up, running his hand through his hair, rubbing his hair.

Slowly he reached out and grabbed the phone, calling his best friend. It took a couple of rings before he heard that the call was picked up.

“… ello… uh… what time is it…? Ugh… Jimbo… it is six AM… on a Sunday… isn’t that… illegal… is anyone even awake at six AM on a Sunday?” Jim heard Toby mutter in the phone.

“I am sorry… just… couldn’t sleep,” Jim said in a low tone. Over the phone he hear his friend sit up listening closely.

“Did something happen?” Toby’s voice was far more serious than it usual was.

“Found out some things last night. You were right. Strickler is a changeling,” he then told him.

“WHAT?! I knew it! What happened? Did you kill our history teacher?” Toby spoke quickly.

“I wanted to. But he has a spell on my mom… I cannot hurt him without hurting her. He could have lied but… the way he said it…”

“Shit… what are you going to do? Are you going to tell Dr. L?”

Jim ran his hand through his black hair and he sighed softly.

“She knows. Apparently she knew Strickler was a changeling before anyone else. He… accidently exposed his troll form to her in college apparently,” Jim explained. Toby remained silent for quite some time.

“That must have been rather awkward… wait… so she chose to date him even knowing that he is a changeling?”

“They are not dating!” Jim insisted.

“Alright, alright! Why did she invite a guy over she knew she was a changeling?” Toby wondered.

“She likes him and he… he has told her stories… not just lies… just he had not told her it right! He has convinced her that the Trollhunter is a murderer out to kill trolls and changelings, which… how can I convince her that he is evil changeling when she believes every word he tells her? Believing he is a good friend who the trollhunter is out to kill this friend?” Jim clenched his hand.

“Uh… yes… that is difficult…” Toby had to agree.

“I just… need to think. Not to mention, Strickler offered a sort of… alliance? I think… I am still not sure what he meant,” Jim fell back on his bed.

“Well he is a changeling, so it is not like we can trust him,” Toby said firmly.

“I know… Toby…” Jim paused slightly.

“Yes?”

Jim remained silent for a long while.

“Strickler seems to think I am…” Jim could hardly bring himself to say it.

“What is it? You know you can tell me anything,” Toby’s tone was serious in a way that Jim wasn’t used to hearing it.

“Nothing… he just said some things and… I guess he got to me,” Jim found he couldn’t say it. Not out loud. Not yet.

Toby remained silent for a bit longer.

“Hey, how about I come over, you make us breakfast, then we go out, find a place that sells birdseeds and pour it all over Strickler’s car so when he is about to drive it, it is covered in bird shit!”

Jim let out a loud laugh at this. His friend really knew how to make him feel better.

“Brilliant Tobes! See you soon.”

“Later Jimbo!”


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim makes a record in how much denial one person can be, much to Toby’s frustration.

Jim yawned softly as he scratched his arms as the alarm clock went off, before he slammed down the clock, desperately trying to stop that utterly infuriating sound.

He was in a daze as he got dressed, stumbling down the stairs, getting the lunches for him and Toby that he had prepared the evening before, before he wandered outside to see Toby there.

“Hi, Jimb…” Toby’s voice faded out as a confused look came upon his face, his brows furrowing before he cocked his head.

“What is it?” Jim felt a bit strange at the look on the face of his best friend.

“Um… I normally would not comment on these things… but… uh… perhaps you should consider plucking your eyebrows? Because… well…” Toby said still trying to make sense of what he was seeing.

Jim’s eyes widened as he looked into his bike mirror and jumped back slightly. Over night his eyebrows had grown bushy and wild.

“I know we are in puberty, but that is some werewolf shit. Did you touch something down in Trollmarket that you shouldn’t?” Toby asked scratching his head.

“No, no, no! This can’t be happening! Why me?! Why is it always me?!” Jim burst out.

“Well… it is not that… alright it is pretty bad. I am sure Claire won’t notice, hopefully. We should get going. If not Mr. Uhl is going to kill us!” Toby said.

“Uh… yes… yes…” Jim muttered as they started to drive toward school. As they did Toby would at times glance over towards Jim.

“Jim… you know… when you called me six am on Sunday? Is there something that you… something you need to tell me?” he asked. Jim sighed as they were driving over the bridge.

“Just… Strickler said… my father might be a… changeling,” Jim was hardly able to say it, wincing slightly as he heard his friend slam on the break as he looked over.

“What…? Your dad is a changeling? What did Strickler know him too?” Toby asked as he got off, so they would easier talk that way. Jim started to slow down as well before he sighed, as he got off.

“No. I still do not believe him fully. Mom believes him and… she took a picture of my eyes glowing… like, you know… humans’ don’t,” Jim felt his stomach fell slightly as he said that. Toby paused slightly as he thought for a while.

“Um... can you do that now?” Toby then asked. Jim gritted his teeth nervously.

“I… I don’t think so. I have tried… but no. Which is why I believe that it is some ploy. Something he did to make it seem like my eyes glowed or something,” Jim shrugged. Toby remained silent as he looked at him.

“What?”

“You don’t think that your… eyebrow situation could be because of the whole changeling thing?” Toby then pondered.

“What? No. Of course not. Just something I touched down in Trollmarket, nothing more,” Jim said trying to brush it off.

“Are you sure about that buddy?” Toby said, not really believing Jim’s words.

“Of course I am sure! Now let us just get to school before the final bell, or as you said senior Uhl will have our ass!” Jim said as he got back on his bike. Toby let out a sigh as he shook his head.

“I have the feeling that this is going to be an interesting day…” he muttered as he got on his bike to follow his friend.

 

It was nearing lunch and Jim had tried to hide his new far bushier eyebrows. A bit of gel had done so that it was not super noticeable.

Toby was still a bit concerned however just as they finished math class Jim let out a yawn which caused his friend to jump.

“Close your mouth!” he hissed towards Jim who did quickly, looking at his friend confused.

“What?”

Toby did not say anything, simply dragging his protesting friend through the hallways and shoved him into the boys bathroom which was luckily void of people.

“I think perhaps you should see Mr. Strickler… or my dentist, your choice, but you got to see someone, because the eyebrows might be hormonal, but as far as I know normal teenage hormones do not affect the teeth. Especially they don’t tend to change into sharp troll tusks during math class!” Toby insisted. Jim swallowed, finally opening his mouth to show that he had gained quite the set of sharpened tusks. Instantly he covered his mouth.

“Yeah… how are you going to explain that away?” Toby asked.

“Look… this does not mean anything… it could be so many reasons for this,” Jim spoke quickly, though his friend was simply staring at him with a raised eyebrow.

“Look… I know that you do not want to ask our evil troll teacher for help, but you are literally trolling out in school, best have him show you how to control it before you risk one major sunburn,” Toby pointed towards him.

“I am not going to troll out! Just let us get through the day… I am sure this will all just fade in time,” Jim was determined. “Besides… I can hide it. Just… not speak before this is over.”

“Jimbo… they are literally sticking out…”

“It is not that bad!” Jim said as he walked out, making sure to hide his teeth. Toby simply stood there rolling his eyes.

“This idiot…” he grumbled as he walked after.

 

It was by some miracle that Jim had not showed off his new teeth to anyone. Though he had not said anything to Toby he near about panicking. Sitting in class he put his book up hiding himself where he pulled out his camera looking at his new tusks.

“Why me…” he whispered as he hit his head against the desk.

He hid like that for the rest of the class, not hearing a word of what the teacher had to say as he was desperately trying to figure out what was going to happen next. He thought about going to Blinky, but… Strickler’s words rang in his ears, that he would never be accepted if he had impure blood running through his veins. He remember well their reaction to the thought of changelings being in Arcadia and…

He was already having enough trouble being a human trollhunter.

“That is some impressive prosthetics!”

The female voice ripped him out of his thought patterns.

“Huh?” he turned to see Claire there, class having apparently just gotten out.

“Your horns and tusks! They look really impressive! Are you trying out for a monster movie or something?” she continued her questioning.

“Horns?!” Jim exclaimed as he reached up on his head. Sure enough poking out from his head was two bony horns moving backwards.

“Yes, they are impressive they look almost real,” she said as she reached out to touch them, but he moved his head away.

“Um… yes… I like… uh… special effects… you know… monster movie makeup… so I thought… why not? I just… forget I was wearing them for a moment!” he was now trying to get away as quick as possible. Claire could not see him like this!

“They are really cool. Hey… perhaps… you could do me some time… Halloween is coming up in not too long and… it would be really cool,” she brushed some of her dark hair that had gotten loose from her many hair clips.

“Oh! Sure! I am sure that could be… fun,” he chuckled uncertain.

“Yes… I think so too,” she smiled and the two stared at each other, neither one knowing what to say next. Luckily for Jim, his friend came to look for him and seeing this, his eyes widened. Jim had gotten way worse and it was no way that he was not trolling out and it was getting pretty bad.

“Jim! We are late!” he exclaimed, Jim getting up, looking rather apologizing over at Claire, but happy for a way out.

“Yes! We are very late! See you later Claire!” he said as he got his bag, Toby grabbing hands as they practically ran out of the classroom leaving a very puzzled Claire behind.

 

“YOU ARE SEEING MR. STICKLER!” Toby said firmly. “What if you trolled out totally in front of Claire!”

“I had it under control!” Jim insisted still, Toby looking like he was about to lose his sanity.

“Look! I know you are usually quite horny around Claire, but this is a bit extreme!” he hit his friend in the arm.

“Ow! And dude!” Jim flushed.

“The whole school knows you got a thing for her Jimbo, but right now we have other things to worry about!” Toby groaned.

“Look, I told you, I got it under control,” Jim once again attempted to assure his friend.

“Jim… you are turning blue… and I am not talking about the ‘You are so cold you are turning blue’ kind, this is more “It looks like you rolled around in blue paint blue” situation,” Toby poked his friend in the chest, who indeed had spreading patches of blue spreading across his skin.

Looking down at his hand he looked with astonishment as the color started to spread. Before he was able to come up with any sort of excuse however Toby had taken advantage of his distraction and with a jump managing to catch a hold of one of Jim’s newly grown horns and proceeded to drag him down the hall like the stubborn goat he was.

“Hey! Let go! That feels really strange!” Jim protested, but Toby had little patience left after having dealt with his friend’s stupidity the entire day.

“You go to Strickler and have him help you keep your Jim shape so we do not cause panic through the entire school because one of the students all the sudden turned into a troll. I am sure Strickler has interest of that secret staying secret!” Toby said as he opened the door to the history teacher’s office and pushed Jim inside.

“He is your problem now!” Toby exclaimed as he closed the door roughly. The changeling simply sat there, his eyes wide as he was simply relaxing by his desk and did not really expect this.

Jim looked over at Strickler swallowing.

“So… you may have been correct about my father…” he had to admit. Strickler simply raised a brow.

“So it would seem,” he said as he stood up, moving closer as he closed the blinds to the windows as well as on his door, though all the while he continued to look over Jim. Sure he suspected that the boy was a changeling for a while now… but seeing him like this… it was still strange.

“I must admit that this is really fascinating… a partial change like this… well I have only really done it once… and that was with the help of jello shots…” Strickler said as he continued to walk closer, reaching out his hand to touch the horns, though Jim ducked away.

“Just show me how to change back to human form! That way I can get on with my life!” the teenager insisted.

“Change into human shape?” Strickler pondered.

“Don’t bullshit me! You are in human shape right now, just tell me how to do it!” Jim sneered towards him, though the changeling remained puzzled.

“Well…” he began.

“What?” Jim said.

“It is not really something you learn… it is just something we do. Changelings aren’t taught, we just do. Not like we have anyone to take care of us. So… unless you know how to do it, we might have a bit of a problem,” Strickler explained, Jim’s eyes going wide.

“Just tell me how you do it!” desperation was now lacing the teenager’s voice.

“I simply decide to take my human form which is given to me through a human familiar. You… are your own human familiar in a sense. Just… try to think about how you usually look and… change,” Strickler did a wave of his hand.

“Some teacher you are,” Jim grumbled.

“In my defense this is not my subject,” Strickler countered. Jim simply whispered under his breath as he attempted to do as Strickler did, but… nothing.

“It is not working!” Jim held his head.

“It seems you have not gotten full control of your changing. Like a tiny changeling welp… it is almost adorable,” Strickler said as he proceeded to circle the youth.

“I am glad this is amusing to you!” Jim held the side of his head. “But what do I do! I cannot let people… more people see me like this!”

“Oh, it is endlessly amusing to me… and you let someone see you like this, what were you thinking, if someone knows you are a changeling it is over for you! They might even get onto me!” Strickler held his hand over his chest.

“Your concern is heartwarming… and don’t worry, only Claire saw and she thought it was a costume…” Jim then admitted.

“Humans and their denial of what is right in front of them… it is really useful,” Strickler had to admit.

“Anyway, what do we do? Just wait until it passes?” Jim started to walk back and forth.

“Or you gain some control over yourself… or wait until the school closes down for the evening… whichever comes first… so far it is looking to be the latter,” Strickler said as he went to lean against his desk.

“Can’t you at least drive me home so I can wait it out there?” Jim sat himself defeated on the piano chair.

“Oh, I would… however on the Sunday some… I assume students decided to cover my car in nine pounds of birdseed,” Strickler growled, Jim’s eyes widening as he swallowed nervously.

“Um… you weighed it…?” he stuttered.

“The shop did… which is where my car currently still is… I swear if I could eradicate every single pigeon within seven miles of Arcadia I would,” the changeling growled, a slight glow coming from his eyes. Jim swallowed nervously, as he ran his hands through his hair, trembling slightly as he felt the tips of his fingers against those horns.

“So… we just… sit here? What if some other student comes in?” Jim asked, holding his arms around himself.

A slight grin came upon Strickler’s lips as he held up the pen he constantly carried with him.

“Well… perhaps it is time I taught my star pupil a new lesson,” he then said as he opened his pen, this time revealing not the tip of a fountain pen as it normally was, but rather an odd shaped key.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Jim sees Strickler’s hidden room in his office.

“A key?” Jim asked confused as he looked at what he thought was a normal fountain pen.

“A changeling key for a changeling lock,” Strickler explained, Jim getting a bit of an exasperated look upon his face.

“There is changeling keys and locks…?” he rolled his eyes.

“You would be surprised what we have come up with, and I assure you… it is very useful,” Strickler said as he moved a couple of books away at his bookshelf, showing a strange key hole there. “How about you give it a try?”

Jim got on his feet slowly wandering towards his teacher looking towards the key taking it and looked at it. Slowly she put the key inside, turning it slightly as a green glow came from it, before the wall gave a slight rumble before it started to drop down, showing a hidden room.

“You have a hidden room in the school?!” Jim looked up at him.

“It is surprisingly useful…” Strickler said as he walked inside, glancing over his shoulder as he observed the youth’s eyes dart around.

“For what? Plotting to take over the surface world?” Jim rolled his eyes.

“Hm… if it suits me,” his teacher shrugged, Jim following, squinting a bit, trying to decide if what was just said was a joke or not.

“You want some tea, young Atlas?” he mentioned him towards a chair which was set up against a desk as he noted the look of suspicion on the teenager’s face.

“Oh… you need not worry, it is not as if I wish to poison you. You can relax, we are allies, are we not?” the changeling asked as he went over to the kettle, turning it on.

“I still do not have any idea what your definition of allies are. People you do not stab in the back until you do?” Jim crossed his arms as he sat down at the seat, though unable to keep his eyes from wandering over all the things that Strickler had collected in this strange room.

“Hm… usually I do not backstab my allies until I feel like they would do the same to me given the chance,” Strickler was more concerned with the tea than the accusations from the young man who constantly moved his mouth as the tusks were making his jaw ache ever so slightly, before he stood up again, feeling rather… restless as he paced up and down, looking at the items.

His eyes fell on an amulet with the symbol of an eight armed sun. Strange for trolls to use the sun as a symbol. Jim realized that most likely it was picked off one of Strickler’s enemies… then again… who fought against the trolls? Other than the trollhunter himself or the trolls down in trollmarket Jim had never really heard of anyone else fighting Gunmar’s hordes… but perhaps there was some that he hadn’t heard about.

As he looked at it he turned to his teacher, a question forming in his mind as he stepped closer with a determined look on his face.

“Did you know my father?”

Strickler stopped the pouring of the tea for a moment as he thought, taking care to observe the features which showed the true blood which ran in the teenager’s veins. There were certainly something… familiar about it.

Then again… how many changelings had he seen in his time… how many trolls? Never something which looked like himself ironically enough, but there were several types of trolls which would never interact with others.

“Hm…” He paused. “It is certainly possible. But… I do not know him… or who he would be if I did know him. I am certain that it comes as no surprise to you that changelings keep secrets even from other changelings. I will tell you that your features are not unknown to me, though that may only tell me that I know of a changeling from the same line of troll as your father is. But… it certainly is not… common, if you could put it like that. It is certainly not someone I have seen recently… or within the last couple of centuries. But… it certainly is familiar.”

“There is never a straight answer one can get out of you is there?” Jim gritted his teeth slightly.

“It is not as if I would lie to you. Even if I had seen a picture of your father, you would be surprised how one can change in a couple of decades… not to mention centuries,” Strickler counted. It was something that Jim had to concede. He sighed as he scratched his head, looking down at the cold floor.

“Wasn’t it enough…? Wasn’t being a teenager and the trollhunter enough? Wasn’t having to risk my life every night enough? Now I am… this?! This… bastard?” Jim looked down at his hands, observing the blue hue that his skin had now taken and how his fingers were now tipped with claws.

Strickler paused for a moment. In truth… perhaps he hadn’t thought how all of this would have affected his young student. The world could indeed be so cruel, placing so many burdens on one who was so much still a child.

The changeling had learned in all his years that humans’ lives… though short, were not easy. Especially at Jim’s age.

For a kid who already was carrying the entire world on his shoulders… the world only seemed to get heavier for him.

“Jim…” he started, but he could not find the words to say. Because what could he say? What words of comfort or wisdom could he give to this boy? No one had ever gone through what he had. There had never been a human trollhunter… and for that human trollhunter to find out he wasn’t even human.

It was no doubt rough.

Instead he simply reached out his hand and rested it on the young man’s shoulder, as it was really all he could do.

Jim felt that large hand resting on his shoulder and for a moment thought of shrugging it off. Strickler… the man he had looked to as a father figure… the closest thing he had ever really had… was his enemy.

Yet… he had to admit it had hurt so much to find out what his teacher was, because he felt like he was the only one that he could go to that did not depend on him. His mom… Toby… Blinky and Aaarrrgghh and the rest of the trolls down in trollmarket… it was not as if he could ever tell them about his problems. They needed him. They needed him to be strong. It was not as if he could show his doubts and fears to them.

Strickler had been the only one that he was able to do that with.

And now he was his enemy.

_“I AM GUN-ROBOT! PICK UP YOUR PHONE! I AM…”_

The teenager picked up his phone picking it up. Strickler could swear if he never heard that ringtone ever again, it would be too soon. He swore everyone in this school had that ring tone. He thought that once he had heard it once in the teacher’s break room. There was still a mystery as to who was responsible, but surely by now the evidence would have been erased.

“Mom? Hi, what is up?” Jim asked, something which caught Strickler’s attention.

“Oh, I just wanted to let you know that I am getting home from work early today and wondered if I should pick up something to eat. Perhaps some pizza?” he heard her voice on the other side. “Wait, are you allowed to answer the phone when you are still at school?”

“Um… well you see… I am with Mr. Strickler and…” Jim hesitated as he looked up at his teacher, who did not have much help to give his young student.

“And?” Barbara paused for a moment, before a very excited sound came from her. “Did you change?!”

Jim paused for a moment, not sure what he should think of the tone in his mother’s voice.

“Yes… I did… which… of course it would happen in school. So now I am hiding out in Mr. Strickler’s office as… well I am having a bit of a problem… looking human right now,” Jim could not believe what he was saying. It still was sounding utterly insane.

“Oh! Well… I guess there would be a bit of ‘growing pains’…” Barbara thought. Jim groaned a bit before he noticed Strickler mentioning for him to put her on speaker. The young trollhunter hesitated for a moment, but hesitantly decided to put her on speaker.

“Hello, Barbara. Yes, Jim had a bit of an accident in school, and we are going to have to hide out until he is able to control his change… or until it turns dark. Now I would have driven him however… my car is at the shop at the moment,” he explained.

“Well, I am driving now… I could pick you up if you can get out of the school without being seen,” Barbara suggested. Jim was about to argue against that, but Strickler held up his hand to stop him.

“Barbara, could you meet us at just outside the old public records building?” Strickler questioned.

“The abandoned one a block from the school?” Barbara sounded confused.

“Yes, that one, we will meet you there,” Strickler confirmed.

“Sure… I will drive there right away, see you two there,” Barbara said before ending the call. Strickler glanced over at his student and seeing the confused look in his eyes.

“What? You did not believe that I would not have a way to get out of here? If someone really were to prove to be a threat to me so much that I would need  to retreat back here, I would be an utter fool not to have a way out. An important lesson for all changelings has to learn. Always have a way out.”

“Are all the things changelings need to learn is how not to get killed?” Jim asked as he said as Strickler ran his hand along the brick wall.

“Hm… most of them. Not much use for other advice if you get yourself killed. Odd how that works out…” the older changeling told his student as a soft click came from the wall and a small passage opened up.

“After you young Atlas,” Strickler mentioned towards him. Jim glanced over at him before he slowly wandered over and peaked his head inside.

“Again with the suspicion? Have I not proven myself yet?” Strickler moved his head slightly to the side.

Jim did not say a single word simply rolling his eyes as he proceeded into the dark, his eyes now more adjusted to the darkness than before. Strickler followed, making certain that the door was closed behind them as they walked in silence towards where they were going to meet Barbara.

All the while a million thoughts were running through Jim’s head. Too many questions coming from the simple truth that he was the son of a changeling. And he did not know what consequences would come from that.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barbara picks up Strickler and Jim after Jim’s little incident.

Barbara came driving up to the old public recordings building where she saw Walter standing outside, but without his usual tweet jacket, simply wearing his turtleneck sweater. Stopping the car he walked calmly over to her a slight smile on his lips.

“Fancy meeting you here,” he mused towards her as he opened the back door. Barbara was about to ask where Jim was when a form clothed in the teacher’s missing jacket came running from the bushes and jumped into the backseat.

“Let us just hurry!” she heard her son’s voice from under that jacket as Strickler sat himself in the front seat and buckled himself in.

“Are you alright?” Barbara asked feeling a bit concerned.

“Yes! Just… don’t really be seen right now,” Jim said and Barbara swore she could see glowing eyes from under the jacket.

“Just let me see, I am your mother,” Barbara had been curious to what her son would look like since she had known he was a changeling.

“Mom!” the shape under the jacket complained, glancing over at Strickler, though the changeling had decided that this was something he should stay out of. Not to mention he knew how determined that Barbara could be when it came to seeing someone’s troll form.

“Just a peak, come on!” she pleaded.

“Please just drive!” Jim pleaded.

“What is it with changelings and being so impossible to showing what they look like?” she glanced at Strickler who still tried his best to stay out of it.

“Perhaps it can wait until we get to the house? Changeling skin is rather sensitive when it comes to sunlight if we are not in human form. Nothing as bad as an actual troll… but it is worse than any human sunburn,” Strickler explained.

“Alright, alright,” Barbara sighed as she started to drive back to the house. “I will see it sooner or later, besides, I am your mother Jim, I have changed your diapers,” she said as she drove down the road. Strickler simply grit his teeth in an attempt not to burst out laughing. Jim was sitting in the back, still hiding under his teacher’s jacket, by now his skin having turn more red rather than blue.

“MOM!” he whined, knowing that this was going to be brought up again by the changeling now sitting in the front seat.

“Alright, fine. But the moment we are home I am going to see,” she said firmly as they drove down the street towards the Lake house. Jim simply continued to hide under his teacher’s jacket. He still felt… strange that his mother would see him like… like this.

It somehow made it… realer.

Until now his mother had not known anything about his other life… the life which… That had honestly been a bit of a comfort. That he was still him when he was with his mom, free from all this madness…

But now she knew about… this.

Again he glowered a bit at the changeling who sat in the front seat. He was the reason that his mother knew about these things. That he was… this.

Barbara parked the car in the garage, both the adults moving out, however Jim remained in the seat. Strickler noted that Barbara was practically overflowing with curiosity, so he gently took her arm.

“How about we prepare some tea. I am certain Jim could use some after the day that he has had. Change is never easy,” he told her in a soft voice. Barbara looked like she was about protest, but the look in her friend’s green eyes made her stop.

“Sure… just get in when you are ready,” she nodded as the two of them walked into the kitchen, leaving the teenager in the car trying his best to take on his human form, yet nothing really happened. He sighed. Was he ever going to look human again?

Inside Strickler looked over at Barbara who was continuingly looking towards the door to the garage.

“If you keep staring he is never going to come,” Strickler said as he turned on the kettle. Barbara jumped slightly as he spoke before she looked down.

“I guess… I am just… curious, almost excited, this is a big step in his life!” she said, Strickler letting out a soft laugh.

“It is big… though… I am not certain it is a step that he is comfortable with. Look… he knows now that his entire life is going to change in one way or another. He has this secret, one he has to carry his entire life. That is… not easy, especially for someone his age,” he spoke softly and Barbara suddenly felt her heart ache. In her excitement she hadn’t really thought about how this would truly impact Jim. Everything would be harder for him now. Friendship… relationships… just life in general and for a mother… no truth could be harder.

“Oh… I…” she started, hiding her eyes when she realized. Walter let out a soft sigh as he walked over to her, putting his hand on her shoulder.

“Barbara. I know you mean well… and I know Jim knows you mean well. He is lucky to have a mother that supports him going through this. Whom he knows still loves and cares for him. It is what is going to make him pull through this,” he spoke gently to her. Barbara sighed softly.

“Thank you Walt… I am so happy that he has you. I am serious… had it not been for you then…” she stopped, again the changeling feeling his stone heart ache a little. What ever Barbara thought… he was not the figure in Jim’s life that she thought he was. He was… using him… using both of them for his own means. Sure his entire survival depended on the game he was playing, but… this was the first time that the changeling felt any sort of remorse for what he had to do. Never before had he given any sort of second thought for the people that he had to use.

It was… different now.

“Don’t mention it,” he spoke softly.

“So…” Barbara leaned a bit closer so she could whisper. “You have seen… you know…”

Strickler simply chuckled. “Yes, I have as the young Tobias practically dragged Jim into my office by his horns.”

“He has horns?!” Barbara let out an excited sound making Strickler chuckle and shake his head slightly. This woman…

Their conversation was however interrupted when the door to the garage as Jim wandered inside still keeping the jacket around himself.

Barbara smiled towards him, trying to assure him.

“We are making some tea,” she smiled towards him glancing over to Strickler who were pouring the tea in the cups.

“Oh… that is good,” he said hesitantly, a bit relieved that it was indeed Strickler making the tea… he had been drinking his mother’s tea far too much to stomach it right now.

Strickler simply brought out the tea, placing it on the table gently.  

“Well, young Atlas… though I do not mind you borrowing my jacket, I do believe it is not that suiting for you,” he said, Jim narrowing his eyes slightly towards him, but… it was clear that he was speaking the truth.

Slowly he lowered the jacket from down from his head before taking it down fully, his longer ears now laying flat as he glanced nervously over to his mom.

“Aaaw… you are looking so… handsome,” Barbara had to take care not to blurt out how adorable she found her son. He was quite different from Strickler in his real form. Jim flushed slightly, wishing more than ever that he was able to look normal, yet he was unable to do so, looking as trollish as ever. Slowly Barbara wandered over to him, hugging her son close.

“It is fine, nothing is really going to change… just… well, look at Walter, I mean of course he has to take some… considerations due to the whole… changeling thing, but… well he is able to have a normal life. So… once you get control of your changing… I am sure that you will be able to have a rather… you know… normal life,” Barbara attempted to reach out and pat her son’s hair gently. Jim held onto his mom, feeling some comfort.

“If I am ever going to be able to do the whole changing thing,” Jim muttered.

“I am sure you will,” Barbara assured him softly once again, continuing to gently pet his hair. Jim felt himself relax slightly before he felt his mom’s fingers having moved closer on top of his head before she curiously started to feel his horns.

“Mom!” the teenager glanced up.

“Sorry! I am curious!” she defended himself, once again Strickler having to practically bite his lip so he would not burst out laughing.

“Well… tea is done at least,” he then was able to say as he glanced over at mother and son. Something Strickler was certain was unusual to say the least. In fact in his time… he had never heard of a changeling having a mother in their life before.

Barbara finally let go of her son as she walked over grabbing a pot of tea.

“We do need a plan however if it proves to take some time for him to learn,” she told Strickler who nodded his head slightly.

“Well… as you are a doctor I presume it won’t be too difficult to make a medical reason for some absence from school,” Strickler said as he handed her a cup.

“Yes… certainly… though, hopefully… it won’t be too long,” Barbara scratched behind her neck.

“I am certain that he will soon… then again… we are in rather uncharted territory… changeling human hybrids are… rather unknown. So… it may take longer than we suspect,” the changeling said as he sipped from his tea.

Jim gritted his teeth slightly, trying his best not to move his jaw too much as he attempted to ease the feeling of his tusks. He swore he would never get used to these things…

Barbara remained silent a while as she sipped her tea gently as an idea comes across her blue eyes, a look which in truth made both Strickler and Jim feel a bit nervous.

“Have you shown him?” she asked the changeling.

“What?” Strickler glanced up from the tea.

“Have you shown him?” Barbara questioned once again. “I mean… perhaps his trouble with changing is because he has never seen anyone do it before.”

The young teenager had indeed seen changelings change before… but it wasn’t as either of them could ever confess to that.

“Yeah, perhaps that is the reason,” Jim huffed towards the changeling. Strickler sighed as he scratched the back of his neck.

“Uh… well…” he was clearly uneasy.

“I mean, it can’t hurt, can it?” Barbara asked raising her brow at him. Strickler sighed. Seemed like he would be forced to take troll form each time he was over.

“I suppose,” he admitted. Still he did not like the fact that the trollhunter knew his troll form as well as his human form. It would make them… even. Not that the changeling enjoyed that. He much preferred it when he had every advantage.

There were however cases where advantages needed to be sacrificed.

“Well, young Atlas do pay attention,” Strickler spoke as the green light enveloped him as he took his troll form. While Barbara had seen this form before she had to admit she was rather surprised each time she got to see it.

Not in a bad way… Like with Jim she quite… liked his troll form. Jim however was clearly shocked.

“Do close your mouth, young Atlas, your tusks aren’t that large,” the changeling huffed slightly. Jim was quick to do as he said, his pointed ears now standing straight up.

Though he knew that Strickler was indeed a changeling… to see him like that.

Barbara simply smiled softly as she put a hand on Strickler’s arm, having to curiously feel along it. It was rather cold and smooth under her fingertips. It took all the willpower that the changeling had to not flush at the warm sensation from the hands of the doctor on him. it was really… comforting.

“Well… still… I don’t really know how that is going to help me… could you do it… slower?” Jim had no idea how the flash of green were supposed to help him look human again. Especially when he did not know how to make that green flash happening in the first place.

Strickler thought for a while before he got an idea. Placing his hand on the teenager’s shoulder before he looked him in the eyes as he changed back to his human form, they this time at least some part of Jim’s instincts followed suit as he too was enveloped in that shimmering light and when it died down he was human again.

“Yes! I am not blue anymore!” he exclaimed, Barbara too rather surprised at this turn of events.

“For now. At least we do have a course of action if you were to loose control again. But you need to gain control over your abilities,” Strickler pointed his finger at him.

“I will. I mean it is fine. What are the odds that I will troll out again?” Jim said, patting his head to make certain his horns was indeed gone. Strickler wished that he would be able to escape from the arrogance of youth as he simply placed his hand on the teenagers shoulder again and another flash enveloped the living room.

“Hey! Change me back!” Jim burst out as he found himself quite blue again.

“Would you look at that, I didn’t even need to take troll form to do that,” Strickler said, though there was a warning there. Any changeling could easily expose him if they laid a hand on him and he hadn’t learned how to control his changes.

“I get it! I will practice! Just… change me back!”

Strickler relented and allowed the teenager his human form back.

“At least we have a solution… temporary as it may be,” Strickler shrugged.

“So…” Barbara started. “How come your change clothes when you change and Jim doesn’t?”

It was a thought which had entered a mind. There still was a lot of strange things about how this whole… changeling thing really worked.

“I do not know… perhaps because he is a halfling… or it will happen later… again there really is no telling,” Strickler shrugged.

“I really do not need my clothes changing too…” Jim muttered exhausted, his body was feeling as he had been running for hours at this point. It made what coach Lawrence put them through seem like a walk in the park.

Barbara noticed this again reaching out as her hand and stroked his hair.

“How about you rest up a bit…. I will order some pizza and you can come down and eat it when you feel like it, hm?” she asked. Jim for a moment felt reluctant. He did not want to leave his mom alone with Strickler. Not after he knew what the man had done. The changeling was not late to notice this, it was also something he could easily understand.

“Well… I suppose that I should take my leave. I believe it is good for young Atlas to get his rest. Though… should something happen, you have my number,” he said as he moved towards the door, however Barbara quickly followed him.

“How about I drive you. It is quite the long walk… or so I assume as I haven’t really seen you around here,” she smiled softly to him.

“It is something that I would greatly appreciate,” he gave a slight bow as the two of them wandered out the door as Jim practically fell upon the couch, oh so relieved that he was at least human again and for the moment he was too exhausted to really think of the implications of this day.

He knew he had to… but he just needed to close his eyes…

Just… five minutes…

 

Barbara drove up to Strickler’s small house a bit outside of town, near the forest surrounding the entrance. As she stopped outside she turned towards him.

“Walt… thank you for everything today…” she spoke towards him.

“It is no problem, just wish I could have some real answers for you,” he told her smiling gently.

“Well… at least we have some answers. I mean… it would be a bit of a shock if I did not know you and all the sudden my son turned… you know… blue,” she let out a small smile.

“I can imagine that it would come as a surprise to most…” Strickler smiled softly.

“Yeah… I suppose so,” she laughed softly. Stopping for a moment she pushed her glasses further up on her nose as she grabbed his hand.

“But… I am so happy that we got to know each other again and… well I was thinking…” she paused for a moment as she glanced over at him. “That perhaps we could go to dinner sometime? You and me? We never got that far back in college so…”

“I would love to.”


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Strickler and Barbara goes out on a dinner date where he have a very special gift for her.

Walter was standing outside the restaurant which he and Barbara decided that they would meet up at. Adjusting the tie of his suit he glanced down at his clock slightly.

His memories went back to that day in college… when he found himself a very similar situation.

He hardly felt more confident now. At least she knew about the whole changeling thing so in case he was in need of some liquid courage and were to loose control of his form he at least did not have to fly.

Which was an advantage certainly.

So much had changed since that day… how he wished that the situation was different. How he wished he did not have to trick her… to play a game involving her son.

The changeling scratched the back of his neck, groaning softly.

He knew he had fallen for her… he had known that for so long. Looking his pocket he saw the small jewelry case laying there.

Due to his situation he had never really dated… nor had any interest to before or after her, so he did not really knew what would be proper.

Though… when he saw it… he burst out laughing at the idea of her wearing it… he felt it would be far too fitting.

He had also figured out it had been her birthday only days before they met again… so he could certainly use that as an excuse.

Suddenly the sound of footfalls upon the pavement drew the changeling’s attention, gazing up he let out a soft breath of astonishment as he saw the doctor coming running up to him.

“I am sorry Walt, it seems that I always keep you waiting each time we go out,” she laughed softly.

“Do not worry,” he murmured softly towards her. “I do not mind waiting on you… besides… I am the one who was early.”

Barbara felt herself becoming flushed as she tucked one loose strands of her hair behind her ear.

“Well… should we go in. I hope you are hungry,” she mentioned towards the door.

“Yes… I have heard good things,” he smiled as they walked inside.

 

The meal had been great and though there had been some awkwardness on both sides at first, they soon became wrapped up in the conversation and forgot everything about being awkward.

After having had their meal they decided to walk around the town for a bit. It was always quiet after the sun had gone down and it made it easier to speak about things that… well was best not overheard.

Sitting down at a bench at the park Strickler’s attention was once again drawn to what was in his pocket. Swallowing nervously he glanced over at Barbara.

“Um… I do hope you do not find this too forward, but… I learned that your birthday was not too long ago so… and I came over this… and I thought it would be… fitting,” he hated how flustered his voice sounded. Noting the curious look in those blue eyes he pulled out the small case and offered it to her.

“You really did not have to,” she started, though she was endlessly curious about what this could be.

“It just… reminded me of you,” he hardly dared to meet her eyes, even if he could not look away from her face as he looked for her reaction. Gently opening the lid Barbara let out a laugh as she saw what was in there.

“Does it work?” she then asked as she pulled out a small silver horseshoe necklace. Strickler chuckled as he shook his head.

“Afraid not. Wrong metal. Not certain I would trust you with a real one,” he nudged her teasingly.

“I promise that I would use it responsibly,” she leaned against him. he simply chuckled as he shook his head.

“It is the fact that you would use it that worry me,” he leaned a bit closer, feeling how warm she felt against his cold skin. By now the streetlights had been lit, but the sun cast its final rays for the horizon.

“It really is pretty, thank you so much, I will cherish it,” she smiled happily as she turned her back towards him, holding out the necklace towards him. “Help me get it on?”

“Of course,” he nodded his head quickly, before he gently took the small chain between his long fingers before he gently took it around her neck, allowing his fingers only for the slightest movements to brush against the skin on her neck.

It took him a while to fiddle with the small clasp due to his nervousness, but eventually he got his fingers to do as he wanted and managed to set it in place.

Barbara felt a bit flushed, it had been a long while since she had experienced anything like this and she was not ashamed to admit that it felt really good feeling well… special in this way again.

As Stickler leaned back, seeing how she ran the tips of her fingers across the small pendant he had to smile, wishing that this could be enough. That there did not need to be any lies… that the world of trolls did not exist and he could be only be a history teacher who was rekindling a crush from his college days. At this moment he could not imagine a more perfect life. 

Before Strickler could sink too far into these types of thoughts he felt a warm hand being laid across his neck, making him hold his breath as he looked into her beautiful blue eyes.

“Thank you, Walt… I really do love it,” she murmured softly, making him freeze in place as he watched her lean closer and placed a kiss upon his lips.

The sound which the changeling made was hardly dignified as he had not really expected it, but his eyes slowly closed as he leaned into her, allowing his hand to reach out and rest upon her hip ever so gently, the tip of his fingers curling in delight.

Barbara pulled him even closer, running her fingers across the hair at the back of his neck.

However their passionate moment was interrupted by the tune of orchestral battle music pulling them away from each other.

“My phone…” the changeling was still feeling rather dazed as he murmured softly while searching for his phone in his pocket.

“Yeah… better get that perhaps…” she smiled, resting her head against his chest. Strickler inwardly cursed whoever decided to call him at this hour. Looking at his phone he raised his brow slightly.

“It is Jim,” he informed Barbara, showing the number before picking up. Barbara furrowed her brow slightly, looking at her own phone to see if her sun had attempted to contact her, but this did not seem to be the case.

“Young Atlas, why are you calling at this hour?” Strickler asked, wondering if the teen had some sort of ability to know what was going on which was why he decided to call at that exact moment. It seemed unlikely, but stranger things had happened.

“I trolled out again! I need you to get me back to human form. The others cannot see me like this!” he heard the desperate voice of the teenager before the phone. “SHUT UP TOBES IT ISN’T FUNNY!”

Strickler rolled his eyes slightly as he sighed. He understood well who he was referring too.

“Well… I am a bit busy at the moment,” Strickler glanced down at the woman in his arms who looked rather curious, mouthing ‘what is it?’.

“BUSY?” Jim’s voice almost cracked with desperation.

“Mhm, I do have a life outside of you after all,” the changeling mused. “And at this point you really should be able to change on your own. Haven’t you been practicing?”

Barbara had to cover her mouth as to not let out a laugh.

“Uh… no…” the teenager admitted, making his teacher roll his eyes slightly.

“Well, perhaps this will be a good part to start, you have to learn somehow and as I suspect you do everything you can to not take your troll form, so I suspect as long as you are in human form you are not going to learn to control it. So… I think it is high time for you to figure this out for yourself,” Strickler informed him.

“I promise that I will practice, just… it is a really bad time right now!” Jim insisted nervously.

“Why do I have a feeling that it will always be a bad time,” Strickler called him out, this being followed by an nervous sound on the other side of the line.

“Look its an EMERGENCY!” Jim insisted. “Like an… you know what related emergency.”

“Well, then I suggest that you learn quickly,” Strickler shrugged his shoulders, glancing down at Barbara to see what she thought.

“Well… he has to learn,” she whispered with an amused smile on her lips. Sure she felt a bit bad for her son’s situation, but… it was something that he had to learn.

“Look I’ll do…” Jim’s voice was  abruptly cut off by a very loud and startled sound coming from the teenager. “CLAIRE! What are you doing here?!”

After that all the changeling could hear was garbled noises before the call was ended. He raised his brow slightly as he sighed softly.

“Well… I am certain that Jim has a rather interesting evening,” he mused softly towards Barbara who simply ran her hand across his chest.

“Hm… well it is important for him to learn to stand against his own two feet. But we should perhaps you know… help him out,” she then said.

“I suppose that you are correct…” the changeling rolled his head gently with a soft sigh.

“However… there is a very nice coffee place right across the street… we could just, stop in for a coffee before we go back,” Barbara suggested with a smile. The changeling felt his stone heart flutter.

“That sounds absolutely wonderful.”


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Claire learns there is something more about Jim than she thought.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well… this took some time. But… hopefully it won’t be that long until the next one.

“Did you just eat your phone?!”

Jim stood there absolutely stunned as pieces of plastic and metal fell out of his mouth looking at the girl he had been crushing on since he had seen her.

“No…”

Though even as he said those words pieces of metal and plastic which had formally been his phone fell out of his mouth.

Claire simply raised a brow of astonishment, the being before her was clearly Jim, but also… VERY different.

“Uh… yes you did!” Claire insisted. “How on earth did you eat your phone?!”

Toby stood by his friend, his eyes wide, not able to make any other sound than confused stuttering.

Jim was still utterly terrified, simply chewing the mangled pieces of his phone, swallowing nervously.

“I… I… I...”

There was nothing that he could really say, so he simply turned around and ran away, far quicker than any human could ever hope to.

“JIM!” Toby shouted, Claire still standing there, holding her head in astonishment.

“Toby?! What is going on? Jim… he…” she could not even finish the sentence.

Toby simply spun around, stuttering nervously, but before he could even come up even coming up with a lie, they were distracted by a car driving up to them. Toby felt almost like he was about to pass out when Dr. Lake and Mr. Strickler stepped out.

“Toby…?” Barbara looked quite confused. “Uh… where is Jim?”

Strickler leaned against the door, glancing down at the pavement noticing what seemed like pieces of a broken phone, making it raise his brow.

“Jim ate his phone!” Claire then burst out. Strickler chuckled softly to himself.

‘Well… that explains the garbled noises over the phone…’ he thought to himself. He knew well that at times a more… trollish urge for food could rise. He had lost some of his favorite pens that way.

“He ate his… phone…” Barbara glanced over her shoulder at Strickler who simply shrugged.

“It happens,” he simply said.

“Have everyone gone insane? Eating your phone just doesn’t happen!” Claire just insisted.

“Uh… Claire…” Toby simply stated, but she interrupted him.

“And he was blue! With horns! And fangs!” she went on.

“Tusks,” Strickler simply interjected, the rest of them staring at him.

“Technically it is tusks,” he just shrugged.

“Uh… Toby… do you know where Jim went…?” Barbara tried to make sense of it.

“He… ran towards the forest rather quickly… like REALLY fast. Uh… like superhuman fast…” he attempted to explain without really saying something.

Strickler stood up.

“I will find him,” he put his hand on Barbara’s shoulder.

“Thank you Walter… I will wait for you at home,” she said before he moved towards the forest and the sound of leather wings was heard.

Claire simply stood there, hands on each side of her head, with her fingers digging through her hair.

“Uh… Dr. L… she isn’t looking good,” Toby mentioned towards her.

“Well… Claire… you understand…” the doctor began.

Claire simply shook her head.

“No… not today… I am going to go home… and wait until this all makes sense… not that I think it is ever going to… but… anything more right now. Just no!” she spun around and wandered down the street.

Barbara hesitated, but decided not to follow the teenager, looking over at Toby.

“Is she going to be… alright?” the doctor hesitated.

“Claire is strong… and smart… and a good person. I don’t think that she is going to tell on Jim… you know him being… not exactly human,” Toby explained.

“I just… hope… that she is alright… it is rather… strange everything with… everything. I remember when I learned about changelings… must confess I was just as surprised if not more so,” she shrugged.

“Jim’s dad?” Toby questioned, however Barbara just shook her head.

“No, Walter… when we were in collage,” she explained.

“Oh…” Toby had known that the doctor and the teacher had been in college together.

“I suppose we should to back home huh?” he then asked. Barbara glanced towards the forest, feeling a sense of concern… but she trusted Walter. He would help her son.

“Come on… I will drive you,” she then said, her eyes never leaving the forest.

 

It was on the cliff overlooking Arcadia that Strickler spotted the teenager, sitting there dangling his feet over the cliff.

Slowly he landed beside him.

“You made it far,” he stated as he sat himself down beside him, looking up towards the sky.

Jim didn’t answer him, grabbing a rock and tossing it.

“She saw me… eat my phone,” the teenager let out a low growl. Strickler simply ran his and through his hair.

“When your mom found me out I jumped out a window…” he attempted to cheer him up, knowing well that Jim had been having a crush on Claire for quite some time now.

“But you didn’t eat your phone in front of her,” Jim threw another stone.

“Well… I have been tempted to eat your blender,” Walter grinned towards him. Jim stopped and looked over at the changeling with a raised brow.

“That is my blender!” he exclaimed.

“I recognize that you have first rights… but it is still tempting,” Strickler chuckled. Jim simply slumped down, resting his head in his hands.

“Is this my life now? Trolling out and then eating my phone?! How am I ever going to face her again?” he looked at Strickler.

The changeling remained silent for a while, before he once again turned his head towards the sky, letting out a soft hum.

“Well…” he let out a soft sigh. “I have learned that some humans can be more accepting than I have ever given them credit for.”

Jim furrowed his brows before shaking his head.

“But… Claire don’t know about trolls or… changelings or… ANYTHING,” Jim threw out his arms.

“Neither did your mother,” Strickler countered. Jim’s face instantly turned angry.

“You have continuously LIED to my mom!” he accused him, his teeth showing.

“Not lied… I have hidden certain things from her… to protect myself… and her…” the changeling pondered, before he glanced over at Jim.

“Will you do the same?” Strickler yellow eyes bored into Jim’s.

Jim moved nervously, feeling his heart skip a beast.

“What do you mean…?” he asked nervously.

Strickler moved his head slowly as he shrugged his shoulder, rubbing his right arm slightly.

“Well… we are in rather the same situation now… I chose to lie and hide. What I have always done. It is in my nature. In the changelings’ nature... but you are half human. You are the trollhunter… the hero of trollkin… not that they care much about you do they? I suppose that does not matter…” his voice faded out.

“Your father was also a changeling… just as cowardly as I,” Strickler rubbed the back of his neck slightly. “I have no delusion of being brave. Bravery is reckless at best, lethal at worst… but… you Young Atlas… you are brave. So… what are you going to do?”

“I…” Jim stuttered, grasping at his horns while lowering his head.

“I don’t know…” he whispered.

“Well… it is a long walk back…” Strickler said, putting his hand on the teenager’s shoulder, changing both of  them into their human form.

“Perhaps you will decide on the way home.”


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Barbara ponder about her ex before her and Strickler finishing their date.

Barbara had been sitting in her living room, clutching her cup, the tea having gone cold long ago, as she was looking out the window.

She worried greatly, even after Walter had called her and informed her that they were on the way back.

She hoped what Toby had said about Claire was true and  that they could trust her to keep Jim’s secret. The last thing Jim needed right now was that they had to move in order to keep his identity a secret.

She was already aware that no one could know about this. Not only because of her conversations with Walter… it just made sense that this was how it had to be. What they would do to her son if it was discovered…

It made her shudder.

And what if the trolls found out… or worse the trollhunter?

Her child’s life could be in mortal danger.

She moved her legs closer to her body, continuing to stare out onto the sidewalk.

Walter…

Had it not been for him… she really would not know what she would do. His assurances that they would fix things… that everything would be alright…

She could not imagine being without that.

Her mind then wandered onto a person she had not allowed herself to dwell on.

Jim’s father…

It had been well over a decade now since she had seen him. Was this why he left? He must have known that his child was a changeling as well… and then to just abandon them without telling her what would happen.

Without letting Jim know who he was.

It was as if the anger that she felt when he left had just become worse lately.

More and more the man she had tried her best to forget, to think of as just another deadbeat dad… heavens know there is plenty of those… but now all his actions seemed more sinister.

Even back then… all those years ago, she had felt that something was not quite right with Jim’s father. That something was off…

Like he never once had shown her his true face… which come to think of it… he never really did.

The doctor shook her head, she did not want to think about this anymore.

Her thoughts then returned to Walter…

Even from the start it had been… different with him. She had always had felt so comfortable by his side…

Her index finger were moving along the chain of the necklace that he had given her, feeling how her heart beat with more than worry.

Yes she had fallen in love with the changeling.

A flush came upon her cheeks with this realization.

However she did not have that time to dwell on this as she saw her son and the man she cared for come walking up the street. She jumped up from the couch running to the door and opened it, letting out a relieved sigh.

“I was so worried…” she sighed, so happy to see both of them.

“I am sorry mom,” Jim looked towards the floor. “Uh… did you see… uh… Claire how did she take it?”

Barbara bit her lip slightly, in all honesty not certain of this herself.

“I think she took it alright… I mean it was a surprise for her, I am certain… I mean… as it was for me, but…” she paused a bit, Strickler having to give a bit of a bashful smile as he looked down.

“But you have to talk to her. Or at least offer to talk to her. It is only going to be worse for her if she has to go and wonder and question herself and what she saw. This secret can be hard to know… but… to know that someone has hidden something this important from you… that hurts,” Barbara then said, the words stinging both Jim and his teacher. Both of them knew they kept dire secrets from the woman before them.

Strickler especially felt a bile rise in his throat which he had never felt before. Lies and secrets had been the only reason which he had survived as long as he had.

Never before had they felt… sickening.

Jim felt a guilt towards his mother… but how could he tell her the truth? What would she think of him then?

He had to keep this secret in order to protect her.

He would not be able to forgive himself if his mother was hurt… and more so if he was the cause of it.

However he knew well the serpent which was close to her, having already poisoned her mind against him, without knowing it.

“I will remember that…” he whispered softly. “And uh… I think I need a new phone…”

“I will fix it tomorrow… just try not to make a habit out of it alright? It is going to be a rather expensive meal,” she had to chuckle a bit, even Jim having to laugh slightly.

“I will do my best,” he then nodded. Barbara then looked towards Walter.

“Uh… it isn’t dangerous that he… you know… ate a phone?” she had to make certain. He shook his head.

“No. Not at all,” he assured her. “But… Jim’s appetite may grow… so if things tend to go missing… like cutlery or the remote… or the blender… well there might be an explanation for that.”

“Hey!” Jim exclaimed, pointed up at the changeling that grinned.

“I am simply stating the truth,” he laughed softly, Barbara laughing softly too.

“I suppose we have found a solution for what to do with old electronic equipment… or old kitchen equipment,” Barbara mused softly, tapping the side of her jaw.

“Well… that is one advantage…” Strickler had to let out a slight chuckle.

Jim simply shook his head.

“If it is all alright… I think that I will head to bed… has been sort of a long night…” he said.

“Sure, sweetie, are you certain you are not hungry?” Barbara asked, making Jim flush.

“No… uh… my phone was filling enough…” he murmured. Barbara had to cover her mouth so that she would not burst out laughing. Hopefully her son would come terms with himself soon enough.

“Alright then, I will see you tomorrow…” she said as Jim made his way up the stairs towards his room. The two adults watched him leave before Barbara turned towards the changeling.

“Not how I imagined our evening out to end,” she laughed a bit bashfully. “Thank you for helping him… again.”

“It is fine… but again… I suspect that young Atlas has a lot of things to think about,” his green eyes rested on her, smiling softly.

“As if having a crush isn’t difficult enough,” Barbara chuckled.

“Hm… young love… a thorny road indeed,” he sighed.

“It is indeed… how about I drive you home, after all you have done for us, that is the least that I can do to thank you,” she brushed a strand of stray hair behind her ear.

“I would appreciate it, thank you,” he made a bow towards her before he held the door open for her.

“Such a gentleman,” she said with a slight teasing tone in her voice, him chuckling.

“I have my moments… few and far between,” he murmured as they walked out towards the car.

“Hmm… it seems so,” she laughed as they proceeded to get into the car and started to drive towards Strickler’s small house on the edge of the forest.

 

Pulling up towards the driveway Strickler glanced over at her.

“Uh… do you want you to come in for a cup of tea? I understand if you want to get back home, it is getting late…”

“I’d love to,” Barbara interrupted the changeling’s nervous rambling.

His house was neat, filled with strange historical objects that he had collected. The kitchen was small and they spoke softly to each other.

Soon they were settled down on the small couch in Strickler’s living room, resting up against each other.

Having finished their tea a mischievous look came upon Barbara’s blue eyes, waiting until he was distracted pouring himself another cup of tea before she quickly removed the necklace from her neck and placed it before him.

A surprised look come upon the changeling’s face as he saw the necklace dangling before him.

“Barbara…?” he asked confused.

“Oh… humor me,” she grinned towards him.

Strickler was still uncertain… finding it strange how this wonderful woman enjoyed this side of him, but caved to the look on her face as he changed into his troll form

A pleased smile came upon her face as she rested her hand on his chest, feeling his stone cold skin under the palm of her hand.

“See…?” she got up on her knees on the couch as she leaned over him. “It does have some power over you.”

“No…” his voice was low and growly, his eyes blazing with an intense glow. “It is you… only you…”

Barbara felt a blush come upon her cheeks, reaching her hand out and brushing it across his brow, across one of his horns.

As her hands were caressing his chest, a slight rumbling coming from his throat as he allowed himself to be pushed down on the couch, willingly allowing this human woman to do as she wished.

“Walter…” Barbara murmured, still stroking along his horns softly.

“Barbara…” he murmured softly towards her.

Pulling the horn slightly making him move his head back, kissing his lips. His tusks brushed against her lips. Opening his mouth slightly Barbara slid her tongue against his, feeling how his fangs tickled against hers.

Lifting his hand he brushed against her side, scratching her side with his claws gently.

Breaking the kiss she murmured softly.

“Mmm… the next time we go… you should take me flying…” she nuzzled her nose against his. He laughed softly.

“If you wish it… I am certain that could be arranged…” honestly there were nothing that he would not do for this woman. She let out an excited sound.

“Truly?” she asked.

“Mhm,” he nodded slowly and she placed another kiss upon his lips.

“I cannot wait…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last part of Changeling Troubles, but the story will pick up again in part 3: The Trollslayer.   
> The Trollslayer will take place after the Battle of Killahead bridge after which Jim tells Barbara everything.


End file.
